Notebook: Giants, Lions test each other before preseason opener

Many of the next several plays had post-whistle hostilities. A primary instigator was Detroit defensive linemen Levi Onwuzurike, whom Campbell sent to the sideline. Onwuzurike’s feistiness also contributed to yesterday’s skirmishes when he made contact with Jones while the quarterback was throwing a pass, prompting a heated reaction from Daboll.

The next drill was a Giants kickoff return period, when scarcely a rep was completed without shoving and fighting. After Khalil Dorsey followed Kayvon Thibodeaux to the Giants sideline and they exchanged punches, practice was called.

The second half of the workout was like what occurred yesterday, when at least five separate fights broke out. But Daboll said before today’s practice that it didn’t hinder the Giants from completing their work.

“No, it was very productive,” Daboll said. “It was competitive on both sides. (We) talked about cleaning a few things up that led to some of those things. We’ll try to do a better job today, but both sides were competitive, got a lot out of it.”

Campbell agreed and said it was just a few players who put everyone else in a bad light.

“Dabs and I talked,” Campbell said. “We got a couple of guys who go rogue and do some things and start something. But honestly not a big deal. A lot of it was guys just breaking things up. So, we need to compete again today and just keep some of that out of it. It makes practice go long. (It’s) certainly too much when you have to stop practice that many times to reset the drill and load it. It’s just a waste. It’s a waste of everybody’s time.”

Daboll and Campbell have been friends since they worked together on the Miami Dolphins’ coaching staff in 2011. That enabled them to avoid any hard feelings after Daboll yelled at Onwuzurike, a rare outburst directed at an opposing player.

“Dan and I, we talked a lot yesterday, tried to clean up some of the stuff,” Daboll said. “We both thought it was good juice, good energy. He knows that if he needs to do that, no problem. The big thing is we want to keep the quarterbacks clean. It’s hard enough to play in this league, and you want to practice the right way. That’s why we choose to practice. We got a lot of respect for one another and at times it got a little heated yesterday, but we still respect each other. The guys respect each other. We just want to stay away from the quarterbacks, and a couple of other little things that we can clean up on both sides.”

It becomes more of a challenge to keep your quarterback clean when he joins a fray already in progress. On the play after Onwuzurike interrupted Jones’ attempt to pass, center Greg Van Roten was mixing it up with two Lions defenders when Jones stepped into help. That was not something Daboll wanted to occur.

“I saw the play that happened,” Daboll said. “(We) really don’t want anybody getting into piles during practice. (I) understand what it is. He kind of stood back, and I said, ‘What are you going to do in there?’ (Jones said), ‘My guy is down on the ground.’ I said, ‘Just stay out.'”

At least Jones avoided getting entrapped in any extracurricular activities today.

*Center John Michael Schmitz missed his eighth consecutive practice with a shoulder injury…Tight end Lawrence Cager and linebacker Tomon Fox remain sidelined with hamstring injuries, as does tight end Jack Stoll with a concussion…Wide receiver Dennis Houston (hand) did not practice…Cornerback Christian Holmes, whom the Giants acquired yesterday via waivers, did not practice because he had to get something “looked at,” according to Daboll.