New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll intends to start Drew Lock for Sunday’s Week 16 matchup in Atlanta against the Falcons on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. ET).
The veteran backup had been dealing with a heel injury suffered in New York’s Week 14 loss to the New Orleans Saints. It allowed Tommy DeVito, who recently recovered from a forearm injury, to get back under center last Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
DeVito only lasted one half, suffering a concussion that held him out of the game and forced the Giants to turn to emergency third-stringer Tim Boyle during the 35-14 blowout loss. DeVito’s status for Sunday in Atlanta remains uncertain, but he will serve as the main backup if he is cleared.
“He’s moving through the protocol,” Daboll said. “He’ll do something today. I envision him being — I mean, who knows with concussions — but he’ll have a chance. If he is, he’ll be No. 2.”
Since Week 10, the Giants have had three different quarterbacks start a game. After cutting Daniel Jones, they turned to DeVito over Lock before the forearm issue forced another switch.
“Yeah, you go out there and do the best you can,” Daboll said of the high turnover of starters. “Prepare the guys. The three of those guys work hard. Try to take in the game plan. Go out there and practice. So, they all got to be ready.”
Lock is 0-2 as the Giants’ starter this season, completing just 51.1% of his passes for 414 yards and two interceptions.
At this point in the season, it does not matter who the Giants trot out to start under center. New York is on a nine-game losing streak and is tied for the worst record in the NFL this season at 2-12.
The Falcons are going through a quarterback change of their own, benching veteran Kirk Cousins for rookie passer Michael Penix Jr. — the University of Washington product chosen two spots after the Giants took wide receiver Malik Nabers at No. 6.
Cousins is in the first year of a four-year, $180 million contract that he inked with Atlanta, throwing for 3,508 yards with 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, a league-worst. The decision to draft Penix just two months later initially shocked the NFL world, but the move could pay off immediately if the rookie can help lead the 7-7 Falcons to the playoffs.
“If you believe in a quarterback, you have to take him,” Falcons GM Terry Fontenot said after the Falcons drafted Penix. “And if he sits for four or five years, that’s a great problem to have because we’re doing so well at that position. So, it’s as simple as, if you see a guy you believe in at that position, you have to take him.”
