Giants, amid skid, turn back to Lock as QB1

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Another week, another starting quarterback for the New York Giants, who plan to go back to Drew Lock on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Lock will square off against a Falcons team quarterbacked by rookie Michael Penix Jr., who was named as Atlanta’s starter Tuesday night over veteran Kirk Cousins.

Lock did not play in last week’s blowout loss to the Ravens because of a heel injury. He was also dealing with a left elbow problem.

“Drew should be OK,” Daboll said before Lock went out Wednesday and practiced for the first time since ditching the boot on his foot.

The Giants (2-12) haven’t been able to settle on a starter since benching Daniel Jones last month. New York surprisingly turned to Tommy DeVito, the team’s third-stringer all season up to that point, for their Nov. 24 blowout loss to the Buccaneers. Jones was released prior to that game and eventually signed with the Vikings.

But DeVito injured his forearm against the Bucs and missed a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Cowboys, opening the door for Lock to start two games before the heel injury forced New York to turn back to DeVito last Sunday against the Ravens.

DeVito was knocked out of the game after going 10-of-13 passing for 68 yards in the first half behind a tattered offensive line. He was ruled out with a concussion, but was back on the field Wednesday with the likelihood that he will be Lock’s backup Sunday if he progresses without any setbacks.

“He’s moving through the protocol,” Daboll said. “He’s doing something today. He’ll have a chance to be No. 2 [against the Falcons].”

Veteran Tim Boyle finished Sunday’s loss to the Ravens, throwing the Giants’ first touchdown pass since Jones on Nov. 3. Boyle went 12-of-24 passing for 123 yards with a touchdown and interception in the second half against Baltimore.

“It’s all a little different with each guy,” Daboll said. “Certainly you’d like one guy in there the whole time, but that’s not the reality.”

The Giants currently ride a nine-game skid into Sunday’s matchup against Penix and the Falcons. Coincidentally, Penix’s first start will come against one of the teams that passed on him in this year’s draft.

New York decided against selecting a quarterback and instead used the sixth overall draft pick on wide receiver Malik Nabers, who is within 100 yards of reaching 1,000 yards receiving.

Penix surprisingly went eighth overall to the Falcons, even after they signed Cousins to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million this past offseason.

The Giants, meanwhile, are currently in position to draft first overall in 2025. The expectation is they will address the quarterback position with Jones gone and Lock set to become a free agent.