Giants’ Kenny Golladay ‘excited’ to face former teammate Darius Slay

They were together for three years with the Lions, working against each other in practice. Receiver Kenny Golladay is in his first year with the Giants and cornerback Darius Slay is in his second year with the Eagles. On Sunday, they will square off for the first time in an NFL game when the Giants face the Eagles at MetLife Stadium. 

“My boy Slay,’’ Golladay said. “I’m excited to go against him.’’ 

Golladay recalled going against Slay in Detroit as “always good competition. That’s a good player over there. They paid him as well to go over there. I’m looking forward to it.’’ 

Slay was traded to the Eagles in March 2020 and a day later signed a three-year contract worth $50 million. In his last two games, Slay has lived up to his “Big Play’’ nickname, returning a fumble 82 yards for a touchdown against the Broncos — he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week — and scoring on a pick-six last week against the Saints. Slay was diagnosed with a concussion in that game, but cleared protocol and will play against the Giants. 

Slay, as a defensive player, has three touchdowns this season. Golladay, as a starting receiver (he signed a four-year, $72 million contract in free agency), has yet to score a touchdown. 

“Yeah, that’s messed up, huh?’’ Golladay said. “It is what it is. He’s a playmaker. I know him very well. I’m not surprised that he’s always around the ball making those plays for their team. I played with him and he did the exact same thing when I was with him.’’ 

The Eagles started Nick Sirianni’s head coaching tenure throwing the ball far more than they ran it. They lost five of their first seven games. A change was made. The past four games, the Eagles have amassed rushing totals of 236, 176, 214 and 242 yards — the first time since 1978 the Eagles have run for 200-plus yards in consecutive games. Most of this production came with starting running back Miles Sanders on injured reserve. 

It helps that their quarterback, Jalen Hurts, is a gifted runner (team-leading 618 yards). 

“The way we’re playing right now is based off of the way we feel like the strengths of our team are,’’ Sirianni said. “We feel like we have a strength on offense as far as upfront. Smash-mouth football, I know that can mean like, hey, you’re just pounding it and that’s part of it, but there’s also some other things we’re doing with some quarterback runs and this and that. I want to be known as a team that’s tough and physical. For you to say smash mouth, good. I love that. I appreciate that compliment.’’ 

Free safety Logan Ryan is expected to miss his second consecutive game on the reserve/COVID list. His replacement last week in Tampa, Julian Love, played all 78 snaps on defense and had six tackles and two passes defensed. 

“Julian was out there competing,’’ defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said. “I’m sure there were a couple plays that he would want back, just like there were a couple calls that I would want back. But he competed, he played hard the whole time, made some tackles when we needed it, had a pass breakup there, did a good job there. Julian’s always ready to go.’’ 

The Giants elevated two players off their practice squad: Kick returner Pharoh Cooper, as a COVID-19 replacement for Ryan, and DB Steven Parker.