Shane Bowen Reveals Message to Giants OLB Abdul Carter

New York's latest high-draft hopeful was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons last week: his benching was supposedly a punishment for missing a team walkthrough leading into the Packers' visit. Reports later emerged that Carter slept through it at the team facility, though he has since refuted that theory.

The brief benching was the latest hurdle that Carter's rollercoaster debut has dealt with, as he continues to lack in conventional defensive numbers while posting strong results in more advanced categories.

Carter progress could be one of the few things that the Giants (2-9) have left to play for as they work through the remnants of another lost season, which continues on Sunday in Detroit (1 p.m. ET, Fox).

Improvement from Carter could perhaps be something that extends the metropolitan lifespan of Bowen, who has come under fire for the Giants' lack of defensive progress.

New York did let up a season-low 296 yards to the contending Packers but once again saw a late lead go by the wayside as they dropped their fifth game in a row. Carter progress could help the Giants keep the leads they obtain on the road ahead.

"Be a pro, keep working, can't get frustrated with where things are," Bowen said of his message to Carter moving forward.

"You have to find ways to keep improving, take advantage of our opportunities when they're there. But again, it's the consistency day in and day out with all these guys, especially young players, just try to be the same guy every day, try to work the same way every day, and on Sunday, hopefully that pays off."

Ironically enough, Carter played just over 89 percent of the Giants' defensive snaps on Sunday after he was granted entry after his benching, the best tally of his NFL career to date. Carter also earned four more snaps on special teams, his most since a matching tally in Oct. 9's win over Philadelphia.