Where are we at linebacker?

by kleslie on Jul 19, 2010 4:40 PM EDT

Being a Giant fan since 1957, I have been reading everything about the Giants since the season ended. I follow their website everyday. I have two issues that maybe someone can help me with. Number 1. What happened to Danny Clark? There was no media coverage or anything about him and the next thing I know he’s gone. He may not have been the best but he had experience.

Number 2. I was an Antonio Pierce fan only for his leadership, not his skills. He was always a day late and a dollar short getting to the play. My problem now is that it seems the Giants have done very little to fill that void. I don’t believe Goff is the guy and Wilkerson can’t stay on the field long enough. I don’t believe the rookie, Dillard can step into that position for awhile. We have made great stidies to shore up the D-line and the secondary, but am I the only one that see a hole here at linebacker. Please, somebody help me in my dilemma.

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Clark and Pierce are gone.

and well, good riddance. Pierce’s leadership was incredible, but he was a liability as an athlete. Clark was a good locker room presence, but also a liability as an athlete.

Sintim-Goff-Boley may not be Banks-Carsons-Reasons-Taylor, but it’ll be fine. Boley should really excel with Fewell as the coach, as any WLB usually does in a Tampa-2 styled D.

Sintim was drafted in teh 2nd round for a reason. He looked the part in preseason last year, but was hurt throughout the season. With health, he should be fine.

Goff is a smart dude. If he’s half the brain that Pierce was, we’re in business. He’s a much better athlete then Pierce even at his best, so that’s a plus.

Bottom line, the linebackers won’t be the reason the Giants are good or bad this year (and weren’t last year either). If Fewell is a competent DC and the DL is back to normal/healthy, the LB’s will just be those guys getting all the tackles.

They’re third in the dominoes. The DL must play well. The secondary must play well.

The DL is the lions, getting after the prey. The secondary are the hyenas, stealing the scraps and possibly making kills on their own. And the LB’s are the vultures, cleaning up the mess of everyone else.

LB should be the last thing of worry.

Go New York Go!

by FreeBradshaw on Jul 19, 2010 4:51 PM EDT reply actions

This

Consistent/Relentless Pass Rush + Capable Secondary + Serviceable Linebackers = 2007 Giants.

I’d go so far as to say that last years defense could have cracked the top 15-20 had there been any semblance of consistent pressure on opposing QBs.

"With the game on the line. I want the ball in my hands."
-E

by tito (eight and oh) on Jul 19, 2010 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Linebackers

I liked what you said about our linebackers, and hope that you are right, with Dillard making it even better. Your animal analogies are way off, though.

by Old Giant on Jul 19, 2010 9:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I love it...

Very poetic!

by pataroons on Jul 22, 2010 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions

I think the answer to your question....may be in your question.....

like you said…Clark and AP were nothing to write home about.

BUT we won with AP (never with Clark)….

maybe Sintim can become a force, Boley can do his job, and an Average MIKE can fill the void?

Maybe we already have that guy on the team?

Maybe i’m wrong and this position will continue to be a huge area of concern?

"Throw the damn ball to Kevin Boss" - Andiamo708

by andiamo708 on Jul 19, 2010 5:00 PM EDT reply actions

I'm hoping for Wilkinson to start

He’s the best athlete at LB on the team. He’s excited to get a shot to play the position he played at college. Also, he knows that this is his last shot with the Giants. If he can’t make a solid contribution this year, then it just isn’t going to happen.

by GhostDini on Jul 19, 2010 8:16 PM EDT reply actions

ghost...

thanks for making today fun w/ the Tuck thread.

btw, i think the chances of GW starting are slim to none…and slim may have exited the building….hahahah (Here we go again)

"Throw the damn ball to Kevin Boss" - Andiamo708

by andiamo708 on Jul 19, 2010 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Surprised

There wasn’t even a mention of having Boley slide to MIKE (he did it in the Denver game) I can only attribute this to Boley being the only sure thing on the linebacking corps and they don’t want to mess with that. Also Boley’s a tad small for MIKE in a 4-3… Nonetheless very excited to watch him play this season

by IL DUCE 89 on Jul 19, 2010 8:38 PM EDT reply actions

a tad small but more importantly.....

I just don’t think he’s stout enough against the run to play that position….plus he’s TOO good in coverage for that.

"Throw the damn ball to Kevin Boss" - Andiamo708

by andiamo708 on Jul 19, 2010 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions

true hes certainly athletic enough

but all I remember hearing is that Boley should be used as a blitzer and not in coverage. Now that I remember, Boley was benched near the end of his tenure in ATL b/c the defense moved towards more coverage for the OLBs and he did not flourish as much

by IL DUCE 89 on Jul 25, 2010 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions

he excels in coverage....

and that’s what the giants brought him to do.

"Throw the damn ball to Kevin Boss" - Andiamo708

by andiamo708 on Jul 26, 2010 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

To answer one of your questions

Clark is in Houston as a backup. I was never as down on Clark as some; he may not have made great plays, but he didn’t make big mistakes, either. Clark was brought in as an insurance policy, a backup who won’t kill you if he has to go out on the field. As such, he worked out; he started 27 games in 2 years without being a disaster, and he played well enough that no one beat him out. He was no CC Brown, bad enough to be targeted by the other team.

As for 2010, Reese had to solve the safety problem and the DL problem (which he thought he had solved the year before). He seems to be hoping that if he protects the linebackers in front and gives them help in back, they will be less exposed and someone will step up and at least be adequate. He may be right; in the Giants’ defensive schemes, the LBs may be the least important group.
I am hopeful that Sintim will grow into the SAM and that someone (Wilkinson if healthy) will actually look good enough to win the MIKE. Not unreasonable – there seems to be talent in the group. However, like you I am wary of a situation in which hope plays so big a role.

Mickey C

by Mickey C on Jul 19, 2010 9:05 PM EDT reply actions

Clark

I agree about Clark. It is hard to shine as a SLB when you only play 40% of the snaps. I was at the SD game last year, and he covered Gates well, was a big part of holding SD to one of their worst passing games of the year. Unfortunately he could never make big plays.

I loved Wilkinson as a rookie, but he is always injured. Boley will play WLB because we want one experienced guy at a LB position. Sintim will only be in half the time, hopefully they do not expect him to cover Cooley, Witten, and Celek. MLB is the question mark. And as we saw with Pierce, it is important to have a good one. I have not seen the potential in Goff yet, so I have my fingers crossed that Dillard is a big positive surprise.

by ct17 on Jul 19, 2010 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions

LB protection

I understand how Baltimore protects the linebackers with the defensive line, but we got burned by backs and slot men breaking over the middle. Westbrook ate our lunch on that play, and our opposition has to be looking at tapes. With Bulluck now in the mix, does he have the wheels to chase down those running backs, slot backs across the middle? That’s going to be the question. Bulluck playing the middle will be new to him. i guess i’ll just have to wait and see.

by kleslie on Jul 26, 2010 1:19 AM EDT up reply actions