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Giants QB Lock has heel injury; DeVito set to start Sunday vs. Ravens
New York Giants coach Brian Daboll on Wednesday said quarterback Drew Lock is in a walking boot due to a heel injury and Tommy DeVito now is expected to start against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
ESPN
,EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants are going back to Tommy DeVito as their starting quarterback Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens with Drew Lock still in a boot, according to coach Brian Daboll.
Lock is dealing with a heel injury and did not practice on Wednesday. Daboll said Monday that Lock would be the team's starter this week, if he were healthy.
"I wouldn't say he's doing great," Daboll said. "He's in a boot. ... I can't tell you if he'd be ready to go right now [for Sunday]. So, Tommy will [start]. Tommy will get all the reps."
The ring-around-a-quarterback continues for the Giants, who are 16.5-point underdogs as of late Wednesday afternoon to the Ravens at MetLife Stadium. They were 14.5-point underdogs before the announcement.
It's another opportunity for DeVito to show what he's capable of at the NFL level.
"It's kind of just continuing to prove myself that I belong," DeVito said. "Really just play at the highest levels that I believe I can play at consistently. And to just go out there and
DeVito, an undrafted free agent who burst onto the scene and won three games as a starter last year, was named the starter for New York when Daniel Jones was benched last month. He started one game and went 21-of-31 passing for 189 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions before injuring his arm in the 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The forearm contusion forced DeVito to miss a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He was healthy enough to be the Giants' backup this past week when they lost to the New Orleans Saints. Lock went 21-of-49 passing for 227 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. He finished the game but needed X-rays and an MRI afterward.
There was hope from the Giants that Lock could be ready for this week. But Daboll said the earliest they thought he could get on the practice field was Friday. There is still a chance Lock is the backup against the Ravens.
Veteran Tim Boyle, currently on the practice squad, will be the backup if Lock isn't ready.
The Giants (2-11) turn back to DeVito trying to snap an eight-game skid as likely the biggest underdog in the NFL this season. They informed him he would be starting Wednesday morning, on the one-year anniversary of the biggest win of his career when he led a game-winning drive on "Monday Night Football" against the Green Bay Packers.
"You always got to be ready for whatever happens," DeVito said of his latest opportunity. "Obviously, it's been a little bit of a crazy situation this whole year with everything that's gone on. There's almost no surprises at this point. You just got to stay ready."
The Giants haven't thrown a passing touchdown in almost six weeks. Their last passing touchdown came from Jones on Nov. 3. Lock and DeVito have yet to throw a touchdown pass in their three starts. Lock ran for a touchdown against the Saints.
The Giants' injury problems extend well beyond their quarterback position. Aside from defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (elbow) and offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (foot) being done for the season and on injured reserve, five additional Giants starters didn't practice Wednesday. Lock, safety Tyler Nubin (ankle), defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (shoulder/neck), left guard Jon Runyan (ankle), right tackle Evan Neal (ankle) and linebacker Bobby Okereke (back) don't look good for Sunday.
Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, dealing with a hip flexor injury, was a limited participant in practice but said he "no doubt" expects to play against the Ravens.