Drew Lock’s awkward Giants opportunity vs. Eagles reinforces strange existence for backup QB

PITTSBURGH – Drew Lock prepares for the worst-case scenario in both life and football. That trait, he believes, helps him stay ready as the Giants’ backup quarterback to Daniel Jones.
“That’s how I live my life: Watch out, don’t walk there, there’s a curb there. It’s kind of who I am,” Lock, 27, told the Daily News after Thursday’s practice. “And it kind of relates back to football and being in this room. Worst-case scenario is if something happens to him and I gotta go in there and play, I’m ready for that – because that’s just who I am as a person.”
Even Lock’s routine and detailed preparation could not adequately prepare him, though, for the uncommon challenge of replacing Jones with 11:26 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Giants’ 28-3 Week 7 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The game was already out of reach. The Giants had 104 yards of offense and trailed by three touchdowns. But head coach Brian Daboll benched Jones and put in Lock in an effort to “put a spark into the offense.”
What followed were 12 awkward plays for a grand total of 15 yards.
“There was a lot to that situation, because you want to get completions and move the ball down the field,” Lock said. “But at the same time you’re fighting that urge to get one – like get us a f—-in’ point, you know? And that inner instinct of just playing sports and playing games, we’re losing – I’m trying to get us going.
“In a situation like that it’s fighting the urge of wanting to push the ball down the field or taking completions, trying to get a first down and making smart decisions with the ball,” he added. “It’s just weird.”
Lock said he can kind of read what’s expected of him based on the play calls in that kind of hectic situation, but the defense knows what’s coming since the offense has no balance to its attack in a desperate spot.
“It can be like, ‘Alright, we got this, it’s a completion play, get it out, don’t do anything crazy,’” he said. “Or when he calls something and you’re like, ‘Alright, this is my shot, this is my chance to try to get one downfield and spark something.’
“You’re just doing your best to try to stay on the field I guess is the right answer,” he explained. “And you’re in a position where you’re passing every down. They [the defense] know it. They’re dropping back. That’s the last one [situation] you want to go in as a backup.”
Daboll restored Jones as the Giants’ starting quarterback for Monday night’s road game at the Pittsburgh Steelers. And given Jones’ bristling at the benching, Daboll’s optics-driven patterns and Lock’s lack of success, Jones was expected to go the distance on Monday barring injury.
This puts Lock in a strange spot, though.
He left Seattle and moved across the country seeking a chance at playing time. His one opportunity came in the fourth quarter of a blowout – not with a start or a halftime sub. And now he has to come to grips, seemingly, with being in the background.
Lock said he likes to look on the bright side, though: if Jones succeeds, everyone does.
“The best answer I have for wanting to play and being the backup is this is still a business,” Lock said. “If we win and play well, you want to keep the quarterback room the same. You have another job for another year. So that’s my mindset and helps ease me into not playing at that moment.
“It’s like alright, DJ’s playing well, we’re winning games, better chance for a playoff, better chance for all of us to be there again, better chance to have another job,” he said. “That’s kinda where my mindset goes and it kinda helps with not being out there – still knowing that the best chance to continue to play is to play, to be out there, to put film out there.”
In the meantime, Lock has formed a strong friendship and relationship with third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito. Lock is the mentor. DeVito is the pupil – and the concierge.
“Tell you what, it’s made my life easier. He knows a lot of people, unlocks a lot of new doors,” Lock said with a smile. “Like I’ve never been able to eat at Carbone. Now I have Tommy DeVito. Check. Went to the Royals game against the Yankees. Line was super long. Tommy said if you ever run into it, give me a call, I got a guy who can help you get in there. Get there, the line’s super long, called him, walked in.
“He’s opened a lot of doors but it’s also been a good friendship,” he added. “It’s been fun to finally have a younger guy in the room and be able to help him. I’ve had great quarterback rooms growing up. Everyone’s been friendly, everyone’s been great, everyone shares knowledge. I’m just trying to be that for him when he gets his next chance.”
It’s not clear when Lock’s next chance will come, if he even gets one. All he can do is stay ready.
“I have a plan that I like throughout the week,” he said. “I get to the end of the week and feel ready to go, whether that’s the first snap or in this case, the last couple drives. I feel confident to go do it.
“Always being ready for the worst cases,” he added, “is kind of the life of a backup quarterback.”
SIMMONS: I’M PART OF THE BEST 11
Hybrid safety/linebacker Isaiah Simmons stormed out of the locker room last week after playing zero defensive snaps against the Eagles. It marked the third game this season that Simmons had not played a single defensive snap.
By Thursday, Simmons’ emotions had cooled, but he was still hopeful that he would see more work eventually. Because he thinks he makes the team better when he’s on the field – simple.
“I feel like I can help us,” he told the Daily News. “Sometimes it’s irritating not being out there. I’m still kind of learning how to handle that because I’ve never really had to handle that before. It’s just frustrating because I feel like I can help us, and I feel like I’m part of the best 11. That’s probably why.”
Simmons, 26, was used creatively by former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale in sub packages last season. But this year, Shane Bowen has not deployed him as effectively, and in Weeks 1, 5 and 7, he didn’t put him on the field at all.
That catches the veteran playmaker off-guard sometimes because, he said, “I don’t think I played myself into that.”
“At the end of the day I always have faith in God,” he said. “I know he has the best plan for me, and I try to trust and believe that the guys upstairs know what they’re doing. But if you ask me – and I’m not saying it even has to be a starting role – I just feel like I can help the guys some way, somehow. I feel like I have a pretty special skill set that can help us out.”
Asked if he still wants to be in New York or wants to be traded, Simmons said: “I mean, that hasn’t really been anything that’s come about.”
Asked if a trade possibility has crossed his mind, he said: “Not really.”