With Daniel Jones (neck) ruled out for Sunday night’s game versus the Buffalo Bills, the New York Giants will start journeyman backup Tyrod Taylor at quarterback.
The 13-year veteran out of Virginia Tech will be just the second African-American to start at quarterback in the Giants’ 99-year history.
The first, if you can recall, was Geno Smith back in 2017. That game will always be remembered as the one that ended Eli Manning’s consecutive starting streak at 210 games setting off a spate of firings, which included general manager Jerry Reese and head coach Ben McAdoo.
“That was a painful week, man,” said wide receiver Sterling Shepard, the only player still on the roster from back then. “It was pretty awkward. You are talking about a guy that has never missed a game in his whole career and messing up that streak. That’s a tough one.”
This one will be a tough one, too, as Taylor will be playing behind a makeshift offensive line -= the same one that led to Jones getting sacked 16 times and hit a dozen more the last two weeks.
Taylor has plenty of starting experience, however, and won’t exactly shrink in front of the Buffalo fans this Sunday. He has started 53 games in his career. 29 of those starts came as a Bill from 2015-16. He led the Bills to their first playoff berth since 1999.
“I got mad love for Buffalo. Got great memories there,” Taylor said after practice Thursday, via the New York Post. “Was able to I guess change the culture. … They had some down years in the organization, and I was able to help shift that along with a number of other guys that helped that season.”
Taylor doesn’t expect there will be much of an issue with coming back to face one of his old teams. A lot has happened since then.
“I’m not looking for a reaction [from the fans] or anything,” Taylor said. “It’s not about who we’re playing. It’s about what we’re doing.”
Taylor is in his second season with the Giants as Jones’ backup. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has complete confidence in him running the offense.
“Tyrod is a veteran player. He controls the huddle,” Kafka said this week. “I think he does a great job of, obviously, getting the ball out. … He can make plays outside the pocket as well. He’s done that his whole career.”
Position coach Shea Tierney also has no issues with Taylor under center this week against his old team, the Bills.
‘He can throw on the move, from the pocket and create…’#NYGiants QB coach Shea Tierney discusses Tyrod Taylor’s strengths and how he’s preparing to start against #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/0kNkXNCatU
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) October 13, 2023
Linebacker Bobby Okereke believes Taylor will get the job done this week for Big Blue.
“Our confidence in Tyrod is extremely high,” Okereke said, via Giants.com. “Ever since OTAs, we’ve all seen Tyrod be the first guy in the building. The way he handles himself, he’s such a pro. He’s got a confidence about him that I think uplifts people. Everybody’s excited for this opportunity.”
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