Giants need to ramp up the pass rush
by Ed Valentine on Oct 23, 2009 8:41 AM EDT
in New York Giants News
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PrintIt's all about the pass rush, stupid!
Since 2007 the ultimate successes -- and occasional failures -- of the New York Giants defense have been about one thing. Blasting quarterbacks into next week, and forcing bad throws or mistakes.
Only thus far in 2009 the Giants, despite being 5-1, have not been as successful as they need to be in harassing quarterbacks.We all know that Sunday New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees practically had enough time to open a picnic basket and have a sandwich on many throws before slicing apart the Giants' secondary.
That, however, was not the first time this season the Giants vaunted pass rush had disappeared. They have a pedestrian 14 sacks through six games, tied for 10th in the league. Eleven of those came against woeful Kansas City and Oakland. The Giants have gone sackless three times already this season.
Plain and simple, that is not good enough. Not for a line that features Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Mathias Kiwanuka, Fred Robbins and more.
I am tired of hearing Giants defenders talk about reading keys. I am tired of hearing them talk about not doing their techniques properly. I am tired of hearing that the opposition slowed them with play-action, or max protection, or by putting up an invisible force field around their quarterback. Or whatever. I don't care.
Great defenses DICTATE TO the offense. They don't react to it. The Giants seem to have forgotten that thus far in 2009.
The key difference this season, of course, is that former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo -- architect of the Giants pressure schemes -- has moved on to St. Louis. In his place is Bill Sheridan, hired to maintain those schemes but by nature a more cerebral guy than Spags. A thinker. A guy more prone to worry about what opposing offenses are doing instead of just attacking.
By no means am I here to rip Sheridan. Tom Coughlin believes in him. There has to be a learning curve for any new coach, as there was for Spags. Besides, General Manager Jerry Reese built this defense around a deep, awesomely talented defensive line with the idea that the Giants SHOULD be able to win the line of scrimmage and pressure the quarterback with just four. Unfortunately, that group is under-achieving thus far in 2009. And you are not going to convince me it is due to the injuries to tackles Chris Canty and Jay Alford.
So, that brings us back to creating pressure. And to Sheridan's learning curve.
Beginning Sunday against Arizona, will the Giants bring the blitz more often? Sheridan was asked about this Thursday, and his answer was simple.
"Yes."
Sheridan knows he didn't bring enough pressure last week. Hopefully, we don't see that again.
"We didn’t do a great job pressuring the quarterback. On my part - should have, would have, could have – we would have, especially at some point in the game, figured out what they were doing, that their aim is really to throw the ball on us. And we should’ve just pressured more. Not only more frequently, but send more guys than they could pick up," he said. "You are not going to pressure every single down in football. We don’t. I don’t believe in that. But in hindsight, sure, if we had it to do over again, we would pressured much more, more frequently and sent more guys than they could block."
That should be music to the ears of every quarterback sack-loving Giants fan. And, hopefully, bad news for quarterbacks.
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It seems to a be a symptom
of this coaching staff to shy away from in-game adjustments to the gameplan. It seemed fairly obvious to the casual observer in the Saints game that the front four just wasn’t gonna cut it, and yet the Giants still rarely brought a blitz. Corner blitz, safety blitz, anything to shake up the offense.
Article on sacks
Please read this article that the league is doing everything in it’s power to reduce the sack totals!
http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Articles/11_2914_Where_have_you_gone%2C_Deacon_Jones%3F.html
Maybe the league decided that seeing Brady trampled by the Giants in the Superbowl was not good for the game!
by G Fan in England on Oct 23, 2009 8:53 AM EDT reply actions
That's a great article
and I couldn’t agree more. I think the first time my eyes were opened to how much the media and the NFL wanted to bubblewrap QBs was after Cunningham was injured in the first game of the season back in 1991. The Tom Brady rule is also very, very stupid.
I saw that
Of course now I can’t use it in my next notebook. You’re killing me, G Fan! LOL!!
by Ed Valentine on Oct 23, 2009 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Sorry
I will ask permission before I attach anymore links.
I don’t want to get banned!
by G Fan in England on Oct 23, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Don't do that
It’s all good. It just made me chuckle, so I figured I had to give you grief. You guys are making me way waaaaaay too hard.
by Ed Valentine on Oct 23, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions
umm..
hopefully you forgot the word “work” in there somewhere Ed.
by edzilla on Oct 23, 2009 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Oops!
See, I’m even starting to make really, really unfortunate mistakes.
by Ed Valentine on Oct 23, 2009 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
You were
just checking out the Philly cheerleaders pictures for next week’s article when you wrote that post!
by G Fan in England on Oct 23, 2009 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions
This week's Onion hit on this point exactly...
Tom Brady Clearly Receiving Preferential Treatment From NFL:
http://www.theonion.com/content/from_print/tom_brady_clearly_receiving
by Step up and make big plays on Oct 23, 2009 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions
learn to adjust
I dont think the giants have really ever changed their game plan especially on defense all year. They dont seem to be making adjustments as a defensive coaching plan. Look at Denver their D is playing great and before their last game they didnt offer up a point past the first half.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
Or the Giants defense last weekend…change it up!
oops I crapped my pants!
That's what i was thinking
Not the quote, but it summarizes my thought.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
Sheridan keeps rushing four, over, over and over again, with the same results. Like he’s hoping it’s going to happen, ok, maybe this time, nope, maybe now? It’s like he’s relying on the past and it’s success, while ignoring the reality that it’s not happening as expected?!
I think it’s time for a tune-up!
We may also have to face
the fact that the LBs available (Chase, Clark, and AP) may not be all that effective at pass rushing. If they don’t rush, you end up with AP covering a TE 20 yards downfield. That why something different, like 5 linemen or DE at DT positions, should be employed to throw the O-line off balance.
bring more than they can handle
after the bye week id really like to see them bring the heavy blitz. All of this depth on the line and we have weeks without a sack is inexcusable. Help out the secondary with the blitz!
oops I crapped my pants!
Man I'd love to see that..
The more pressure we bring the better..without it our secondary are sitting ducks..Think about it, if our line is being held back from bull-rushing, and our linebackers are back on their laurels, what can you expect from the secondary?..They are left holding the bag..On defense those guys are running full tilt in coverage every play..After awhile they are going to tire out..They need the Line and LB support.
On Passing Downs
we should line up with:
Sintim and Tuck on one side
Osi and Kiwi on the other
and Canty or Robbins in the middle
So if AP doesn't excel in rushing the QB...
…and it’s becoming clear over the course of the past season that he has coverage issues as well, then what is he doing out there on 3rd down? It seems like his primary value is now as quarterback of the defense, which he typically does a fantastic job at (e.g., the B. Johnson pick-six against the Cowboys), but he needs to be able to perform as well. His subpar play in the passing game makes Boley’s absence feel much more acute.
Am I the only one who feels like we give this guy a free pass and criticize him less because he is the captain of our defense?
by Step up and make big plays on Oct 23, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
I understand what your saying about AP's skills
But why is Clark getting a free pass? Like Tucker said, he’s only adequate at run stopping, but thats where it ends. That TD Shockey had, Clark was in another area code! It was horrible.
In Blackburn, though he’s a hard worker, his skills are moreless just that, adequate.
But overall, AP gives this D the best case scenario from the mental approach. Though his skills are diminishing, he makes up for that with his knowledge. It’s like aging veterans that seem to be beyond they’re years, but they’re still effective because of their instincts!
With Clark...
…WYSISYG. TC knew what he was getting with Clark, a reliable veteran two-down linebacker and a locker room guy. I don’t think anyone believed we were getting an All Pro. Guys like Clark are easy to criticize because they are the filler that round out the 11-man roster on the field.
But with AP, I feel like the perception still exists that he is an elite middle linebacker. And honestly, I haven’t seen much in terms of his game play over the course of the last 10-15 games or so that warrants that. Few of us would dispute his superb signal calling abilities. But as captain of the defense, I feel like his play should be equally, if not more scrutinized, and I don’t get the sense that members of this community do that as much as they should.
by Step up and make big plays on Oct 23, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
AP received
a lot of criticism on this blog last year and deservedly so. He simply wasn’t good. I think up to last week he was playing fairly well, although against inferior competition. Maybe he’s not getting criticized about last week enough, but really the whole defense was awful so he’s just being lumped in with everyone. I think if he plays like he did last Sunday against the better teams, then the chorus will grow louder. I don’t think he’s an elite LB anymore either, but Boley was brought in to take care of his shortcomings. With Boley back (& Sintim), a lot of the LB issues will go away.
Also, I don’t really agree that he’s not a decent pass rusher. Maybe not great, but he’s not bad either. He’s just not asked to do it much in the Giants scheme (even with Spags around).
I think that's the current problem, WYSIWY"G"
The “G” part! We knew what we got when he first came here, but it’s to the point of what were getting, now. He’s getting burned out there! lol But seriously, if it weren’t for Sintim’s injury, i’d be willing to bet that Clark wouldn’t be out there.
Like you said, he’s filler for the starting roster. But it still can’t justify him to actually start. If he’s out there on first and second down, i just may audible to a pass that’s geared toward him. It’s bad enough that were going to panic when a QB looks deep toward (another filler) Brown now. Personally, that’s how i feel about Clark too!
AP's pass game is being greatly exaggerated
he’s a middle of the pack cover backer, his numbers are not great, but not as bad as we’d like to make them. He hasn’t excelled in pass rushing however, and that is something that can be addressed with a healthy(and active) Sintim, and Boley. And how about we stand Kiwi up a couple plays a game in a faux 3-4 look?
i won’t criticize AP, not me. he still puts up solid numbers against the run, and is at the top of the league in stops(tackles for losses). We won’t let that play against Westbrook die! Let the man live, he’s the most consistent man on our D.
Besides, name one current linebacker who could’ve stayed with B.West out the backfield like that?
This is one of the keys
The three linebackers we have out there now are not proficient pass rushers. Clark and Blackburn are nothing but adequate run stoppers and AP has lost a step or two. Having Sintim and Boley back will greatly strengthen this position and enable the Giants to use a wider number of blitz packages.
However, I’m not sold that more blitzes would have changed the saints game. Brees is amazingly good at reading the defense and hitting his hot read when he sees the blitz coming. Granted what we were doing wasn’t working, and so trying something different made sense, but I’m not convinced that it would have changed the outcome.
by Tucker Fredrickson on Oct 23, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Adjustments
I agree with the other posts.
Its what makes a great coordinator. knowing when to adjust. the giants have the talent to make those adjustments some teams don’t. glad to see billy is seeing the error of his ways last sunday.
Also, i think defenses can thrive on being aggressive. if they are successful it will breed more success.
I don't think "Cerebral"
Is the mark of a good coordinator..Defense isn’t rocket science..Sheridan needs to let his players loose and play the damn game…If he wants to think, maybe a nice stroll in the park would be the appropriate venue for that..not a football field…and If he is a thinker, what the hell is he actually thinking about?..The Giants defense is being totally mis-managed..He needs to unleash this talented group of players, not think about it, because the game is over well before he reaches his conclusions.
Cerebral
wasn’ t ray handley also considered cerebral?
cerebral...
…palsy, maybe.
by Step up and make big plays on Oct 23, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Cerebral
From Gamespot. The Dumbest Decision in Giants History.
<“I don’t know why,” one Giants insider said. "George had his mind made up. You have to understand, George was a cerebral guy. Ray Handley was a cerebral guy.>
lets hope Sheridian doesn’t turn out to be another bad decision.
I am still laughing at this! Step up!!
I think we should nickname Sheridan “Cerebral Palsy”..hahaha
Alright, seems to be the early consensus here
Sheridan needs to change this up! He needs to get more creative with the personnel we have, that are healthy. I’m thinking more creative in a hurry, moreso than later. If he runs that same D out against the Cards, Saints game all over again! This is all assuming that the Cards run alot of mulitple WR sets.
Anyone have any ideas?
Hoot I simply think
That Sheridan needs to take the leashes of our Dogs (No Vick reference there) and let them attack..Last week he could have handed out newspapers for the defense to read while they were getting blown away.
I recall
LT freelanced for three sacks in one game. I think Parcells said “what do you think you are doing” to which LT replied “There was no one to block me”.
Parcells said to the Def Co – “get that blitz in the gameplan for next week and we will tell the media we had been working on this in practice”
Now why did AP not call a blitz or do something unexpected – he has the experience and is trusted by the coaches.
by G Fan in England on Oct 23, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions
That's a good one
It might tie in with another quote that i’ve seen. I don’t know who’s signature it was/is (maybe they changed it?) as i couldn’t find it. But it was along the lines of LT saying, “if you don’t know what your doing, then just rush the QB”!
But honestly, how many times would there be an instance where nobody would account for LT? That definitely would get an OC fired!
I think
it was in 1981 or 1982 when LT was not as well known as he was by the 1986 MVP season.
After the first sack Parcells said don’t do again – but next series he did exactly the same!
Yes LT was a beast.
As for AP and thehelmet – they cut off communication so many seconds left on the play call so AP can easily audible in the time remaining.
I am not knocking AP – after all it was his audible that les to the Int return in the Dallas game.
by G Fan in England on Oct 23, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
LT was a unique player..
And Parcells just let him play his game..LT didn’t require any signals before the play..He was given free reign to just play his game, and that was be a wild maniac out there..Now he did this because he was unstoppable..Harry Carson had to only direct the others out there..I don’t think we’ll ever see another LT..AP is being called out here for no reason, he is playing great..The problem is he now has a microphone in his helmet and Sheridan is barking orders into it from the sideline..This is screwing up his instinctive ability to react and make defensive adjustments on the field. This microphone in a middle linebacker’s helmet is useless..I can understand the QBs having them, but the defense?..It just slows them down and screws them up..By the time he gets instructions from the sideline the offense has already got their play. The QBs have had this for quite a few years and are used to it..and they know how to check-off..Guys like AP haven’t had that luxury…
The key to getting pressure ...
is not just how many you send, but also:
Who you send (prefer Boley, Sintim [looked like a beast in pre-season before injuries] and M. Johnson – not AP, Clark, Blackburn, etc.)
Where you send them from (must mix it up, keep them guessing, overload sides, zone blitz, etc.)
Aggression on D >>>>> mental and physical mistakes on OL & blitz pick up RB’s (eg. Bradshaw against the Saints) and the QB just short-circuits on their progressions.
Well Shof
I think we need our D-line to beat their guys and have the LBs shoot thru the gaps..bring a corner blitz ..mix it up come from anywhere at any time..Just let our guys loose…Our D-line last week was actually providing additional pass protection for Brees.
Agreed ...
but if the OL only has to worry about the guy in front of them, it’s advantage offense.
Very true..
That’s why they need to get some LBs involved…Go right up the gut and pressure the QB..make him rush his throws..and if they run, we have the holes covered.
Jim Johnson was a master at the blitz ...
because you never knew where it was coming from … and like you said, if they try a draw, the holes are plugged up, so you just need to keep man coverage a few seconds unitl the pressure gets there.
Of course, easier said than done, but playing soft never works.
Yes Shof..
Jim Johnson..God rest his soul was a Mastermind..and he taught Spags..How to run a defense..Sheridan needs to do some studying on not just game films but coaching films.
No rush -- this is news?
Pre-season made it all too clear to me: the pass rush wasn’t there. The Bears game especially. All of the teams flaws were on parade in that game, the same flaws that
popped up in both the cowboys and saints’ games. There are deep problems on this team. Injuries hurt, of course. But the pass rush IS not what it was advertised to be. And, I predict, won’t be for the foreseeable future. Opponents have them figured out, and on top of it, Osi is not who Osi once was. The fix isn’t in the schemes, it’s in the players and right now, for whatever reasons, the players aren’t who we thought they were.
Cardinals 24 Giants 17.
Sorry, but I see us finishing 9-7, 10-6 at best. Just like I thought in the pre-season.
The D needs a year to heal and regroup. Jacobs may be on his slide. Bright spot:
we do have some wonderful WR’s.
O.K., first I had to put the razor blade down ...
I can’t be as pessimistic as you are Zill, as I think we have superior talent and depth to most NFL teams on both sides of the ball.
We do need to improve our scheme, esp. on D. Predictable play calling on either O or D can make what should be a good team look very average.
It’s up to the coaching to see if we go 9-7 or 12-4.
Zillag, that's just insane???
What happens in the preseason, stays in the preseason. It’s all basic which has no bearing for the regular season. It’s just to knock off the rust for vets and to get the backups acclimated to what is going on an to see where everyone sizes up on the depth chart!
I only see two problems from a personnel standpoint:
1) CC Brown, yeah he may be a liability in coverage, but TC and Co. think this is coachable?! Time will tell, and it will be sooner rather than later!
2) Danny Clark, again, just like CC Brown, though i don’t know if it’s coachable? At this stage in his career, i doubt it!
Even though those players weren’t brought up, now to the deeper problems, as suggested:
1) Injuries can wipe away a slew of thing’s you can do offensively or defensively. I’ll just stick with the D though.
1a) Alford, Boley, Canty, Dockery, Osi (will explain later) Phillips, Ross, and Tuck (to a degree vs. effectiveness).
1b) Not to mention that Cofield and Robbins are coming off knee surgeries too!
1c) Given the nature of Osi’s injury (ACL), it’s been said that it generally takes “another” year for the player to be back at 100%, albeit physically and or mentally!
1d) Tuck, given his injury could lead to more of a seriousness that would be incomprehensible to the average fan, but i respect his effort and gamer-like approach!
2) The advertised pass rush does seem to be false.
2a) A new DC relying on the “same cast of players” past results (a healthy formidable front four last year) to only mask insufficiencies in pass coverage (that were exposed against the Saints)?
2b) Constantly rushing only the front four because of 2a? Pressure on the QB doesn’t neccessarily have to come from this area (DL) on “every” play. That would be asking for too much!
2c) Predictions of how our opponents have us figured out seems a bit premature. Have we really given them an excuse in this manner? Run the ball, pass the ball and rush four! Plain and simple!
2d) Sheridan needs to open up and maximize the pass rush or maximize the pass coverage! This could be done with a sublte little move, IMO!
3) So if it’s not the scheme, but the players, then what i posted in sections one and two has no bearing at all, because it doesn’t matter with injuries. Better yet, to put this into perspective, bring the Lions, Raiders, Rams, or Titans players into this scheme!
I’m sure any fan of any winless team would take this Giants team as is, to this point?! Rather than throw in the towel and regroup and get healthy for next year?!
Exhibit A for "it's the scheme" ...
Look what NO and DEN have done this year with new DC’s (veterans at that who know you have to bring the pressure) and nowhere near the talent level of the G-men.
Both teams missed the playoffs in 2008 with “lights out” offenses, because their D’s were so putrid.
Oh, it’s the scheme !!!
Gee whiz guys..
We are pointing out some obvious flaws that we our are talking about as chat.We will all suffer heart attacks if we don’t calm down…The answer is simple..turn our defense loose!!
Zillag...
you REALLY REALLY REALLY…harp too much on a preseason game.
..."I predict...the Giants are #1"...
...."That's not a prediction meatman, that's a FACT OF LIFE"!.
---Carl
by FreeBradshaw on Oct 23, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Zilla is back
lock the meds cabinet. put away the knives, hide the rope. We have someone on suicide watch here.
thank you sheridan
everyone watching the game could tell from the second drive that you weren’t bringing enough pressure, you would think at least at halftime you would remedy that. What were you thinking?
Yeah Gobig
He seems to be coming up with a plan and can’t adjust it in the game..Defenses need simply to have a skeleton plan before the game, and then be aggressive animals..I wish they would hire LT to coach them..He had one game and one game only..bring heat!!..and he could also distinctively drop back and intercept passes..and then run them back for touchdowns.
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