5 Things We Learned: Azeez Ojulari has ‘taken full advantage’ of opportunity

2. Tracy ‘trending in the right direction’

One of the biggest reasons the offense was able to move the ball with some success against a tough Steelers defense on Monday was the performance of Tyrone Tracy Jr. The rookie running back enjoyed the best game of his young NFL career as he carried the ball 20 times for 145 yards, good for an average of 7.2 yards per carry, and a touchdown while adding two receptions for five yards. Tracy had four runs of 10+ yards, including his 45-yard touchdown run in which he reached a top speed of 20.60 miles per hour, the fastest speed by a Giants offensive ball carrier over the last two seasons, according to Next Gen Stats. This was also the Giants’ longest offensive play of the season.

Tracy has now finished with over 100 yards from scrimmage in three of the last four games, including two outings with an average yards per carry over 7.0. The rookie back has started and led the backfield in touches in all four of those games.

“Tracy has had some really good production,” assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said. “I think that’s kudos to, number one, the offensive line. The offensive line’s done a really nice job. Carm (Carmen Bricillo) and JT (Joel Thomas) and the running back group, along with Tracy, getting the most out of it and maximizing those opportunities. I think Tracy, every day, has come to work, continuing to get better.

“Things that he sees in practice that’s maybe not super clean or not perfect, they get the adjustments, they get it fixed and the next day it looks a lot better. Going through that process with a young player potentially seeing some things for the first time, which happens. But he’s done a great job of seeing it and being presented with those things and keep on working on it.”

Tracy Jr. was placed in the concussion protocol following Monday’s game in Pittsburgh. However, coach Brian Daboll told the media Thursday that the rookie back has progressed through the protocol and was a limited participant at Thursday’s practice, wearing a red, non-contact uniform.

Daboll said Tracy is “trending in the right direction” for Sunday’s game against the Commanders.

3. Trying to slow down Daniels

The Giants’ defense is faced with a tough challenge this weekend as they attempt to slow down one of the NFL’s biggest rising stars in Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. The Giants were able to keep Daniels and the rest of the Commanders offense out of the end zone in the Week 2 meeting between the two teams, as Washington was forced to settle for seven field goals. Daniels finished the game with 226 passing yards and a 99.1 passer rating to go with an additional 44 yards on the ground.

The rookie quarterback has seemingly taken a big step in his development since this first matchup between the NFC East foes. Daniels has seven passing touchdowns since Week 3 along with two rushing touchdowns. Through his first eight games, the No. 2 overall pick is completing over 71 percent of his passes while averaging 217.0 passing yards per game in addition to 53.0 rushing yards per outing and 5.7 yards per attempt.

“He’s having a heck of a year,” Bowen told reporters Thursday. “The shots down the field, they’re on target, they’re catchable balls. I think the run game is always a factor, the scrambles, everything with him. I mean even with the ribs last week; I think he had eight carries for 52 or something like that. So that’s always part of it, but you see the growth, especially in the passing game, you see the growth from him getting more comfortable back there. He can make every throw. He’s able to make every throw going into the first game too. So, elite quarterback as a rookie who can really do a lot of things that can hurt you.”

One of the biggest changes since the Week 2 matchup is the increase in usage of wide receiver Terry McLaurin. The talented wideout caught a total of eight passes for 39 yards across the first two games of the season, but has three games with over 100 receiving yards in the six weeks since. Over the last six games, McLaurin has caught 32 passes for 540 yards and four touchdowns as the veteran receiver and rookie quarterback’s developing chemistry has been on full display.

“I think early on, I don’t know how much 17 was utilized going into that game for us,” said Bowen. “Obviously that connection has skyrocketed over the past few weeks here.”