Presser Points: Takeaways from Coach Brian Daboll

The New York Giants (2-5) travel to Pittsburgh in Week 8 for a Monday night matchup with the Steelers (5-2). The Giants will look to pick up their third road win of the season against a Steelers franchise that has a 21-game home winning streak on Monday Night Football.

Coach Brian Daboll met with the media before Thursday’s practice to preview the game and provide injury updates.

Did Not Participate in Practice:

• CB Cor’Dale Flott (Groin)
• P Jamie Gillan (Left Hamstring)
• CB Tre Hawkins III (Ankle)
• CB Adoree’ Jackson (Neck)
• DL Dexter Lawrence (Hip)
• LB Ty Summers (Ankle)

• OLB Brian Burns (Groin/Achilles)
• WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles)

📰 Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II, linebacker Ty Summers, and cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson and Cor’Dale Flott did not practice. Punter Jamie Gillan kicked off to the side.

📰 Lawrence, the NFL sacks leader heading into Week 8, did not participate in two practices last week and was limited in the third before he notched two sacks on Sunday. This week, the Giants will “kind of do the similar program that we did last week. We’ll see where he is at tomorrow. Just to make sure he’s as healthy as he can be.”

📰 Josh Ezeudu, who started at left tackle last week in place of the injured Andrew Thomas, will remain there to start the week of practice. “We’ll come out here, we’ll go ahead and go through our normal procedure and then see where we’re at the end of the week.”

📰 Signed off the 49ers’ practice squad a week ago, veteran offensive tackle Chris Hubbard is “absolutely” ramping up and will get some practice reps.

Hubbard, 6-4 and 295 pounds, has exactly 100 games of NFL experience, including six in the postseason. He played his first four seasons with the Steelers (2014-2017), the next five with the Browns (2018-2022), and one with the Titans (2023). Hubbard has started 58 games, 51 of which were at right tackle. He has also started four games at right guard and three as an extra lineman.

Hubbard signed with the 49ers this offseason and landed on their practice squad. Last season, Hubbard started all nine games in which he played for Tennessee. His six postseason appearances were all with Pittsburgh.

📰 On working out veteran tackle D.J. Humphries: “Yeah, we had him in for a visit. Met with him, talked with him. Again, nothing on the horizon right now. Had a good visit with him. It was kind of him get to know us, us get to know him. … We think he’s a good football player. If it’s the right fit, then we work something out. And if it’s not, then we won’t. But it was a good visit.”

📰 On Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson, who last week took over for Justin Fields: “He’s been a good football player for a long time. Did a heck of a job coming back last week against the Jets. Created explosive plays to (Steelers wide receiver George) Pickens. Since 2018, one of the higher, explosive play quarterbacks, 20-(yard) plus plays. Won a Super Bowl. Was in another Super Bowl. Got a lot of respect for him as a person, as a player”

📰 Why is Pittsburgh such a tough place for opponents? “Well, I’ll just start with the organization. It’s a model of consistency. (Steelers Head) Coach (Mike) Tomlin is an exceptional coach. Before that, (Former Steelers Head) Coach (Bill) Cowher. Obviously, (Former Steelers Head) Coach (Chuck) Noll, 1969. It seems like every meeting that I’ve had with head coaches that have been part of the staff, it’s almost the same meeting. Different faces, but the same meeting relative to the toughness that that team plays with, the grit that they play with, how they control the line of scrimmage on both sides, run the football, use the action game. Defensively, it’s just plug and play. You’ve seen with these players, it’s just the next guy up. (Steelers linebacker) T.J. (Watt) and (Steelers defensive tackle Cameron) Heyward are unbelievable football players, but there’s a style in which they play with that is physical and aggressive. I’ve got a lot of respect for how they’ve done things for a long time ever since I’ve been in the league, just getting ready to play them. Well coached, play tough, play physical, have a style that they play with, and then the atmosphere is one of the best when you go there and play at their stadium. Tough place to play and a very tough opponent.”

📰 On the challenge of facing perennial All-Pro and former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt: “I mean, we could stay here for a long time talking about J.T. Watt. I’d say he’s unbelievable. T.J., you got me all flustered with the guy. You watch his tape and all the turnovers that he has and the style that he plays with. I mean, he’s one of the best players in the league. He creates issues in the run game. He creates issues in the pass game. He bats balls down. He jumps up and intercepts balls that you’d never think you could be intercepted. He’s got hustle, chase. He’s a dynamic football player. He’s one of the better defensive players in the league. He’s a problem. (Steelers linebacker Alex) Highsmith’s a problem on the other side. (Cam) Heyward inside, when you add all those pieces together, that’s why they are where they’re at defensively. You can’t say enough good things about him. When you watch him on tape, he’s impressive and he’s been that way since he’s played. As is Heyward. They’re a dynamic front. (Steelers Defensive Line Coach) Karl Dunbar does a great job with them over at Pittsburgh, defensive line. They’re hard to block. You put a third-down tape on, you better be able to throw with rhythm and timing because they’re pretty quick.”