Caution, Giants' Fans -- We Have Heard This Tune Before

by Ed Valentine on Jun 8, 2010 10:00 AM EDT in New York Giants News

via copelandcommunications.files.wordpress.com

Lots of great, optimistic stuff from New York Giants' defensive players and coaches after Monday's OTA.

Talk about how experienced, quality safeties should make it easier to use multiple coverages and disguise them.
Talk about how deep and talented the Giants are along the defensive line, and how they will be creative to get their pass rushers on the field as much as possible.
Talk about how well players who were injured in 2009, like Aaron Ross and Kenny Phillips, are progressing.
Talk about how much players are looking forward to playing in a Perry Fewell defense.

Reading it all, and writing about it, left me giddy with optimism about the Giants' defensive prospects for the 2010 season.

Then I remembered. We have heard most of this before. Just a year ago, in fact. And we know how that turned out.

We talked last off-season about how the Giants' defensive line was so deep and talented that the biggest issue would be finding snaps for everybody. We ended up wondering if anybody in that group could stay healthy, could play the run and remembered what a quarterback looked like.
We spent last off-season hearing players talk about how new defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan would be implementing a similar system to what Steve Spagnuolo had run, and that there wouldn't be much of an adjustment. I don't have to remind you how that turned out.
We heard a lot of things about a unique 5-1-5 package aimed at getting more snaps for all those defensive lineman. And how Sheridan would not be dropping defensive ends into coverage as much as Spags had. Right. Once again, things did not turn out the way we expected.
We thought Kenny Phillips was on the verge of stardom and Aaron Ross was on his way to becoming a sold NFL cornerback. This year we are just wondering if either of those guys can get healthy and get into the lineup.

I guess what I'm trying to say is all this talk is nice, but that's all it is. Talk. Conjecture. Optimism without proof.

We think we see and hear signs that 2010 will be a better year for the Giants' defense than 2009 was (how could it be worse?). But, we don't know anything yet. And we won't know anything until the games begin in a few months.

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Comments

Ok but

Sheridan was a rookie DC, Fewell is a more proven commodity

Injuries happen and they can derail a team.

People talk about the defensive debacle last year as if the team has been top 10 the last 15 years.

Reality Check:

2006: 24th in Pts, 25th Yds
2003: 29th in Pts, 22nd Yds

With a top 10 offense, if the defense merely rebounds to top 15 they should be a playoff team and a legit super bowl contender

by trueblue63 on Jun 8, 2010 10:13 AM EDT reply actions

2010 is already giving us more "legit" optimism then 2009 did

Bill Sheridan was unproven and guys only liked him because he was supposed to implement a very similar defense to Spagnulos.. we all know that didnt happen. Sheridan did not know how to run a defense at all.
the addition of fewell, a proven DC whos been doing it and doing well for years will instantly improve the defense by leaps and bounds. I am way more optimisitc right now about 2010 then i was exactly one year ago.

Albert Pujols + a glove = Ike Davis

by Plaxico Burress on Jun 8, 2010 10:14 AM EDT reply actions

Good point Ed...

I remember (I think it was you!) talking about all the talent on the field during training camp last year.

All this stuff is good to hear, but after last year…everything with a grain of salt.

Only thing I know is that even last year, the team was but a few plays here and there from being 10-6. Of course, a few plays here and there, they’re 6-10. But they were close.

I know that the Bills, even for their lack of talent, did NOT quit on coach Fewell last year. I don’t think he’d allow it. SO that’s a good thing I guess…

Some better injury luck. Channeling some anger from last year..yea, I’m optimistic too. But everyone’s optimistic about the football season in June. Even Jets fans.

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit

by FreeBradshaw on Jun 8, 2010 10:32 AM EDT reply actions

No quiting on Fewell

Agree. The D should be better than 2008 or 2009 certainly WITH a little injury luck.

The O is much improved from traditional Giants teams so a solid and not even top 10 D should put this team on the playoffs.

It all looks promising but I’ll wait to see the injury list and defensive progress at the end of camp before I put any champagne on ice.

by MSP Giant on Jun 8, 2010 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Not quitting

It’s amazing how he was able to keep a team with pretty much no offense to speak of to keep fighting and actually win some games.

Not to mention humiliate the Dolphins that one game.

Against all odds, against all circumstance were you don't have a shot, you succeed
-Michael Strahan
All you hear about is the past, the past... the past is the !@#$ing past, this is the present.
THIS IS TEMPORARY! A CHAMPIONSHIP IS PERMANENT
-Same as above

by Willgfass on Jun 8, 2010 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions

These statements are better

•Talk about how experienced, quality safeties should make it easier to use multiple coverages and disguise them.
•Talk about how deep and talented the Giants are along the defensive line, and how they will be creative to get their pass rushers on the field as much as possible.
•Talk about how well players who were injured in 2009, like Aaron Ross and Kenny Phillips, are progressing.
•Talk about how much players are looking forward to playing in a Perry Fewell defense.

these statements are a lot better than

Our safeties don’t know what the hell they are doing
Our defensive line has no talent and is unable to find the quarterback with a map and compass
Aaron Ross and Kenny Phillips are way behind schedule with their injury
No one is getting on board with Perry Fewell’s defense

Not to say we should be overly optimistic, but I think the fact that the right things are being said is at least a positive.

by DavidE on Jun 8, 2010 11:00 AM EDT reply actions

DavidE is spot on...

I’m as cranky about last year as the next lunatic Giants fan. But this time of year is a time of optimism. If you can’t be optimistic in June, you might as well root for the Lions. And even Lions fans are optimistic this June.

by Sfacheem on Jun 8, 2010 11:36 AM EDT reply actions

Our safeties alone should make us more optimistic

The veteran presence Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant provide – as opposed to the deer-in-the-headlights look C.C. Brown and Aaron Rouse flashed most of last season – is allowing Merritt to unleash his safeties’ creativity and vary the coverage at the back end of secondary.

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2010/06/giants_to_change_up_their_cove.html

That’s very different from last year when Kenny Phillips’ departure basically made the entire secondary clueless.

by GhostDini on Jun 8, 2010 11:50 AM EDT reply actions

I agree with all of the reasons for optimism

I’m just reminded of how similarly optimistic we were last season. That turned out to be false hope. Let’s cross our fingers this year we don’t end up disappointed.

by Ed Valentine on Jun 8, 2010 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Defense

I reiterate that I believe the D will struggle initially with the new faces and defense strategy.

I hope the offense is ready to carry them the first four games.

I hope the defense is a little simpler and allows the talent to react more then think.

It would be nice to see Ross play a whole season.

by The Curse on Jun 8, 2010 12:15 PM EDT reply actions

no doubt

Its gonna take time, real games..regular season games, for the D to figure out how everything plays out in NFL speed in an actual NFL game. In 2007 the figured it out after 2 1/2 games. That was pretty quick actually.

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit

by FreeBradshaw on Jun 8, 2010 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

The D sucked at first under Spags

So patience is a key.

I am looking more for a 5-0 finish than a 5-0 start

by MSP Giant on Jun 8, 2010 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Some good points. Tempered optimism is what we should have.

Anyone remember Coughlin saying last year to stop talking about all the talent of the Dline we have?
Because it sounds prophetic in retrospect.

by Willgfass on Jun 8, 2010 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

Optimism is good.

Blind faith is silly, in football at least. I’m optimistic, always am at the start of a new season. Right now, the Giants could go 16-0 for all I know. Or 0-16. I’m guessing a little better than somewhere in between. This year it’s all about the running game, in my mind. The D, I think, will be Ok, not great, but better than last year. Eli stays healthy, the passing game will be fine.
The running game, blocking included, is the ?. If the O falls completely on Eli’s and the Wr’s shoulders, we will not be OK. 8-8 at best. The running game, my friends. I don’t particularly trust it. But we shall see. Go Giants!

by ZILLAG on Jun 8, 2010 7:25 PM EDT reply actions

you have to be optimistic

If not for the DC and injuries last year I think we would have been much better off than we showed. how much I don’t know but the D would have been much better and would not have quit at seasons end. This year seeing as it’s June the skys the limit and the team has unlimited potential. We will see the 1st few games when the D is gelling how good Fewell is and if the guys are quitters or not because that will be a test for them.

by Kirt Morose on Jun 9, 2010 11:19 AM EDT reply actions