Notebook: Giants’ secondary gets reinforcements

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – It was the sequence of events that perhaps best exemplifies the constant personnel churn in the Giants’ secondary this season.

In the third quarter of the team’s loss to New Orleans two weeks ago, Tre Hawkins intercepted a Derek Carr pass. It was not just Hawkins’ first career pick and the biggest play in what was arguably the finest performance of his two-year career, it was only the Giants’ second interception of the season and first by a defensive back.

But not even a rare takeaway could immunize Hawkins from the rash of injuries that has struck the secondary this season. Soon after his interception, Hawkins approached defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson to tell him his back hurt. He did not return to the game and two days later was placed on season-ending injured reserve.

“In a game where we knew they wanted to run the ball, he showed up in a big way physically for us,” Henderson said. “When he came out the game and told me his back was bothering him and said, ‘I’m not sure I can go,’ we put the next guy in. But I hated it for him. I wish he would have been available for us the next week against Baltimore, because we lost like a bunch of guys all at one time.”

Henderson was characteristically blunt when asked to describe the challenge of deploying personnel amidst all those injuries.

“It was a brutal few weeks for us,” he said.

But reinforcements are coming. Cornerbacks Tae Banks, Cor’Dale Flott and rookie Dru Phillips are all expected to play Sunday, when the Giants face the Falcons and first-time starting quarterback Michael Penix in Atlanta. All three corners were inactive last week, when two-time NFL most valuable player Lamar Jackson threw five touchdown passes in Baltimore’s 35-14 victory.

“Getting some guys back, so that feels much better,” Henderson said. “Excited to have them back. It was tough facing that offense we faced last week without being full strength.”

Banks is listed as questionable, while Flott and Phillips did not receive a game status designation on the Giants’ final injury report, meaning they are expected to play.

Safety Dane Belton is the only player in the secondary who has suited up for every game this season. Banks, Flott, Phillips and Adoree’ Jackson have missed three games apiece; Banks was inactive for the last three contests with a rib injury and Flott (quad) and Phillips (ankle) missed the last two. Rookie safety Tyler Nubin led the Giants in defensive snaps and tackles before he was placed on season-ending injured reserve last week after hurting his ankle. Safety Jason Pinnock has been a relative ironman, but he missed the game against Carolina in Germany with an abdominal injury.

When the Giants faced Jackson, Derrick Henry and the high-scoring Ravens last week, one of the starting corners was Greg Stroman, who joined the practice squad on Oct. 1 and was signed to the active roster four days prior to the game. He played 54 of 59 snaps. Jackson was the other starter and played 45 snaps. Linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons often lined up at nickel corner, and Art Green, another recent practice squad graduate, played 32 snaps.

Stroman is doubtful for the Atlanta game with shoulder and shin injuries.

“They (the Ravens) are a problem for anybody if they’re at full strength,” Henderson said. “If you face them not at full strength, it’s a tough, long day. They have two likely Hall of Famers in the backfield. If you’re not full strength, it’s just an awful feeling. But that’s the NFL.”

Pinnock has started a secondary-high 13 games.

“My dad sent me a text and said I was the last starter (remaining),” Pinnock said.

Because of that, he has had to adjust to a frequently changing supporting cast.

“It increases the communication,” Pinnock said. “It takes a lot of preparation, a lot of walkthroughs, because a lot of guys are seeing things for the first time or you have people in different positions, like using 19 (Simmons) as the nickel. It’s helped me in a sense because I know where everybody’s going to be.”

The Giants will count on him to again control the secondary traffic on Sunday.