Giants ST Coordinator Hints at Abdul Carter's Return to Unit

"He obviously has the ability to rush and he's done a really good job for us when he has been back there," Ghobrial said this week. 

"There hasn't necessarily been anything of any particular reason why we haven't used him there. With opportunities, some of my calls reflect whether he would be in versus when he wouldn't. But again, he has the ability to do everything that all the other guys do and certainly could see him having success on Sunday with us."

Carter's top Giants highlight to date may be his block of a Tress Way punt during the opening weekend loss in Washington. But the Giants obviously have larger plans for him, ones that have come to partial fruition with his focus solely on defense in recent showings.

Last week, Carter played just over 83 percent of defensive snaps in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, setting an infantile career-high. He also earned five tackles in defeat, also setting a new personal best.

Earlier this season, Ghobrial hinted at a recurring role for Carter on the punt return team, albeit in solely a blitzing fashion. Ghobrial hinted that Carter also possessed a brand of "explosiveness" that could potentially come in handy on stopping field goals, but that happening has yet to present itself.

"Situations, time in game, score differential, all will factor into what we ask him to do," Ghobrial said in September. 

"Obviously, when we see a superpower rush in the punt, that comes to life so much more because he's very skilled at it. It may seem that way, but he's asked to do everything that our other guys are asked to do."

Ghobrial may seek to pull out all the stops on Sunday, which sees the Giants welcome in the San Francisco 49ers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): the cross-coast tilt will reunite Ghobrial with Bay Area counterpart Brant Boyer, as the former served as the new Niners coach's assistant special teams coordinator for two seasons with the New York Jets.