FLOWERY BRANCH -- Giants linebacker Lorenzo Carter is looking forward to facing the Falcons for the second time in his NFL career.
He will try to harass Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan when the Falcons (0-2) face the Giants (0-2) on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
“A little bit, it’s the hometown team for sure,” Carter told The Atlanta Journal Constitution via phone Friday when asked if he gets hyped up to play the Falcons. “Atlanta will always be my home. It’s the hometown team, but it’s always better to go down there and play at home. When they come up here, you still get that little bit, you get that excitement playing the team you looked at growing up all the time.”
Carter played the Falcons in Atlanta as a rookie in 2018. The Falcons won 23-20 on Oct. 22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I got too many tickets, but it was all love,” Carter said.
The former Norcross High and Georgia standout was drafted in the third round (66th overall) of the 2018 draft by the Giants.
He’s trying to come back from a Achilles injury he suffered in the fifth game of the 2020 season. He was off to a good start before the injury.
“It’s good,” Carter said. “It’s always that process of trying to make sure I’m smart with it and also just wanted to be out there and go full speed. I think the trainers did a good job. .. I’m just ready to keep playing.”
Carter played 58 defensive snaps (88%) against the Broncos in the season-opener Sept. 12. He finished with four tackles.
Four nights later, he played 53 defensive snaps against Washington in that excoriating 30-29 loss Sept. 16. Carter had four tackles and a quarterback hit.
The Giants had the Washington game won after a missed field-goal attempt at the buzzer, but Dexter Lawrence was called for offside, and kicker Dustin Hopkins made the second field goal for the victory.
Carter said that was a tough way to lose.
“Yeah, we put in the work,” Carter said. “We are working hard here. You always want to go out and reap the benefits of the work that you’re putting in. Everybody was expecting a victory. Sometimes the cookie doesn’t crumble that way.
“We didn’t do enough right, and they played good. But that’s why we have 17 games this year. We have to keep working.”
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
The Giants were 6-10 last season and finished in second place in the NFC East. Carter has studied the Falcons.
“They’ve got weapons,” Carter said. “They definitely have some dangerous weapons that we’ve got to make sure that we keep control of and keep contained. This is the NFL, so you know guys are going to make plays. It’s all about reducing the amount of plays that they make and taking away opportunities.”
In addition to Carter, the Giants have several players with Georgia connections, including rookie Azzez Oljulari (Marietta High/Georgia), wide receiver Darius Slayton (Greater Atlanta Christian/Auburn), left tackle Andrew Thomas (Pace Academy/Georgia) and tight end Evan Engram (Hillgrove High/Mississippi).
“We haven’t specifically set down, all of the Georgia guys, but it’s a pretty close locker room,” Carter said. “Right now, it’s more of a everybody, let’s go get these guys. It’s not a Georgia thing. It’s us as Giants, we need to come out here and play good. Do what we do.”
The Giants, who are set to retire Eli Manning’s jersey at halftime, are slight 2.5-point favorites.
“We’ve been working too hard, putting in the time, putting in the extra time, film, lifting weights,” Carter said. “It’s like all right, let’s go out here and do what we know we can do and just play to our ability.”
The Giants are hoping to compete in their division under coach Joe Judge, who’s in his second season with the Giants.
“We are close,” Carter said. “It’s all about details and focusing on all of the little things because those are the things that get you beat.”
The Giants were 5-11 in 2018 and 4-12 in 2019 before coach Pat Shurmur was fired. Last season, Judge was brought in to get things turned around.
“It’s year four for me, so my first three years, NFL games are all close,” Carter said. “Within a touchdown, 75 percent. We lost some close games, winning six games last year, won a couple close ones, lost a couple close ones, but it’s all about finishing and executing all of the details at the end of the game.
“That one play that you need, we executed the whole game to have it on our sides.”
So, there are no Vanderbilts in the NFL?
Carter start laughing and said, “That’s right.”
The Bow Tie Chronicles
For more content about The Atlanta Falcons
Follow me on Twitter @DOrlandoAJC
On Facebook at Atlanta Falcons News Now
Atlanta Falcons coverage on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons’ 2021 schedule features trip to London, January trip to Buffalo
Atlanta Falcons Schedule
Falcons at New York Giants, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m.
Washington FT at Falcons, Oct. 3 at 1 p.m.
New York Jets vs. Falcons in London, Oct. 10 at 9:30 a.m.
About the Author
