Giants Insider: Winston could be latest QB to go wild vs. D

This is what it’s come down to for the struggling Giants defense: This Sunday in Tampa Bay, Big Blue will face a work-in-progress rookie QB who has few offensive weapons — and there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to stop him.

That’s right. Jameis Winston, the future of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could quite possibly become the latest quarterback to go wild against the bumbling, stumbling Giants ‘D’.

The top pick in May’s NFL draft is still learning the nuances of playing QB in the pros after starting his career by throwing a pick on his first pass attempt. But ever since chucking four interceptions against a fearsome Carolina Panthers ‘D’, Winston hasn’t thrown a single pick, completing 64.9% of his passes as the Bucs have won two of their last three games.

“He’s settled down a bit,” said one league scout of the top pick in May’s NFL draft. “And when his technique is right, he can make all the throws.”

So why can’t he make them against the league’s worst defense? The Giants rank dead last in the NFL, surrendering 427.5 total yards per game, and they’ve been even worse over their last three games, allowing 498.7 yards per game with top corner Prince Amukamara sitting out with a pectoral injury.

There’s a chance that Amukamara could return on Sunday. According to a source, his MRI on Monday went well, and he’s expected to begin practicing Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be ready to play in Tampa, but he would provide an instant boost to a flagging ‘D’. The return of Jason Pierre-Paul, who has not been ruled out, would help as well.

But there will be no other defensive reinforcements for the Giants, who stood pat during Tuesday’s trade deadline, despite chatter that Chargers safety Eric Weddle was an option. So the Giants will be largely the same unit that hasn’t pressure QBs all season, that has an NFL-low nine sacks.

And that means Winston, rookie inconsistencies and all, could continue his rapid growth into a steady QB. Two weeks ago, in a 31-30 loss to Washington, Winston put together the finest game of his fledgling career, completing 21-of-29 passes for 297 yards and two scores. He followed that up on Sunday by completing 16-of-29 passes for 177 yards and one score, a workmanlike performance that propelled an undermanned Tampa team to an upset win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Winston can be harassed into mistakes. He threw two interceptions in the season opener, when the Titan sacked him four times and knocked him down six times, and in that the debacle against the Panthers, he was sacked twice and knocked down seven times. But these Giants, coming off a loss in New Orleans in which they couldn’t sack Drew Brees once in 50 dropbacks, don’t seem likely to harass Tampa’s rookie QB.

And if Winston gets time in the pocket, he’ll make the Giants pay. Just take a look at the picture-perfect 40-yard touchdown rainbow he threw to Mike Evans down the left sideline two weeks ago in the first quarter against Washington.

He’s good enough — and poised enough — to do that to the Giants.

* * *

Running back Orleans Darkwa is averaging a team-high 5.9 yards per carry, and at least one NFC scout thinks he’s the most talented member of the Giants’ four-man running back committee.

But there’s a reason that Darkwa is not the featured runner: ever since his days at Tulane, he’s struggled with injuries. That’s also why he went undrafted in 2014, despite scoring 39 TDs with the Green Wave.

“Darkwa has the best big-play ability because of his speed,” said one NFC scout. “But the major question is how much do you feed him the ball, because history has shown he may not be durable enough to be a featured-type back.”

Darkwa is again dealing with injury, too. He suffered a “badly bruised” tailbone on Sunday, according to a source, and is still dealing with some swelling. He may not practice Wednesdsay, although he hopes to play Sunday.

* * *

In the waning moments of the Giants’ 52-49 loss in New Orleans on Sunday, the officials threw a flag on punter Brad Wing for a facemask on Willie Snead, changed their minds, and then changed their minds again, a confusing sequence of events.

But according to NFL spokesman Michael Signora, the officials got it right, after a lengthy discussion about what happens when a penalty occurs after a play is officially dead. Saints return man had fumbled forward, and Snead couldn’t advance that fumble, the reason refs initially disregarded the flag. But a personal foul “cannot be ignored,” the NFL said.

“The flag was thrown by the umpire immediately for a facemask against New York,” Signora explained in an email to the News. “The officials conferenced and that discussion centered around the fact that because the play was dead when New Orleans recovered the fumble, there would be no penalty.

“After the initial announcement to that effect — that there would be no penalty — the officials further discussed the penalty and correctly determined that because it was a personal foul, it must be enforced.”

* * *

Tight end Larry Donnell, who exited Sunday’s game in a cart with a neck injury, did not suffer serious injury, according to a source. He is dealing with some “soreness” in his neck, but is expected to be fine and may practice Wednesday. Just in case, the Giants worked out several tight ends, including Adrien Robinson, and signed tight end Matt LaCosse to the practice squad.

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