New York Giants rookie right tackle Evan Neal has had a very educational and trying rookie season. The seventh overall section in the 2022 NFL draft has been brilliant at times but also has been exposed. After all, he is still a rookie.
One of Neal’s lowest moments this season was the Giants’ Week 14 blowout loss at home to the Philadelphia Eagles, 48-22. In that game, the Eagles — who led the NFL with 70 sacks this season — registered 12 hits on quarterback Daniel Jones, seven went for sacks.
Neal was victimized several times during the game. Not only did the Eagles spin him around, they verbally abused him as well. Being the class act that he is, Neal took it in stride. Trash talk is not his thing.
“I like to play ball. Talking takes a lot of energy,” he said. “A lot of time on the field, you’re gasping for air as it is, as a big guy, offensive lineman. On a 19, 20 play drive, the last thing I’m going to want to do is talk trash. That’s valuable air I could be breathing.”
Brandon Graham, the Eagles’ 13-year veteran pass rusher, racked up three sacks in that game. He has a reputation for doing a bit of trash-talking. Neal said he’s not buying what Graham is selling.
“If he’s talking, I kind of just let him do what he does. I’m not going to change the way I play whenever the whistle stops,” he said.
Neal knows he has to keep improving. He did not play particularly well last week against Minnesota but is taking things week to week. To be fair, Neal has been battling knee and ankle issues this season. He vows to be better this week in Philly.
“Obviously, I believe that we can go out there and put together a better game than we did the first game. But I believe that we’re a different team than we were the first time we played those guys,” he said. “I feel like we’re peaking as a team. We’re coming together at the right moments. And on Saturday, we’re going to go out there and see what happens.”
