The Giants won their season opener inside, with the roof closed at climate-controlled AT&T Stadium, but that does not mean the conditions were no factor.
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was asked immediately after Sunday’s 20-19 loss to the Giants if the sun was a factor, and he said, “I don’t really want to get into that.’’
The retractable roof atop Jerry Jones’ football palace and the glass sides allow sunshine to stream into the building, and it could have affected the Cowboys receivers late in the game.
Garrett scoffed at that notion, saying Monday: “Sun’s been there for five billion years, will be there for five billion more.”
Leaving no stone unturned, Giants first-year head coach Ben McAdoo said he studied the way the sun came into the building and tried to navigate around it.
“Going into the game, we had some pictures of the past, noticed from the 2014 game how it comes in and shines in from the west in the second quarter at times, into the third and fourth quarter, how that impacts things,” McAdoo said Monday. “And if you have a chance to help yourself in the kicking game and on offense and defense with the glare, you do that. If you don’t, you have to learn to play through it. Whether you’re looking into it or it’s at your back, it’s gonna impact both sides of the ball. If you’re a quarterback and you’re looking into it, it’s in your eyes. It’s better for the receivers that way, but it’s tougher in coverage and vice versa.”
The Giants came out of their opener with one serious injury, as linebacker J.T. Thomas was placed on injured reserve after suffering torn left-knee ligaments while running down on kickoff coverage on the final play of the first half. Thomas has been slowed most of the preseason by a hamstring issue.
Thomas’ roster spot was taken by kicker Josh Brown, who was reinstated after serving a one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy stemming from a domestic violence charge by his ex-wife that was quickly dropped. The Giants are expected to make another roster move with Randy Bullock, who missed one of his three extra-point tries against the Cowboys as the one-game fill-in kicker. McAdoo said Brown will kick this week against the Saints.
McAdoo did not dismiss the possibility of re-signing veteran linebacker Jasper Brinkley, who was waived in the last round of roster cuts.
“Never say never,” McAdoo said.
Perhaps the most impressive statistic of the opener for the Giants: They did not ease Victor Cruz back into the action. He was on the field for 50 of the 56 offensive snaps after not playing for 700 days. … Nat Berhe made his first NFL start and was on the field for 35 snaps at free safety. Berhe started because rookie Darian Thompson was not deemed ready for full-time duty after missing time in the preseason with a shoulder injury. Thompson played 42 snaps in his NFL debut. Thompson is known as a coverage safety, but that did not stop him from dropping Ezekiel Elliott for no gain early in the second quarter.
The Saints will go against Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Cruz without their best cornerback, Delvin Breaux, who underwent surgery Monday to repair a broken fibula and will be out at least six weeks. Breaux was injured in Sunday’s 35-34 loss to the Raiders.
McAdoo opted to look at the 78 plays the Giants played on defense as a positive in one regard: “They showed signs being comfortable being uncomfortable, which is encouraging,’’ McAdoo said. … McAdoo was awarded the game ball, which he gave to the equipment personnel for safe keeping.
“It will be a prize possession, that’s for sure,’’ he said.