‘Blood in the water’: Giants’ DC Wink Martindale will bring the heat to Colts’ QB Nick Foles

New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale likes to say “pressure breaks pipes,” and he is perhaps the NFL’s most aggressive defensive coordinator. The Giants have blitzed 40.1 percent of the time this season, more than any other team in the league.

So, what did Martindale think when he watched the tape of the Indianapolis Colts giving up seven sacks Monday night in a 20-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers? He thought exactly what you might suspect:

“There’s definitely blood in the water.”

Martindale will undoubtedly turn up the heat on Colts’ quarterback Nick Foles, who will be making his second start of the season on Sunday against the Giants.

Martindale won’t, though, underestimate Foles, a former Super Bowl MVP.

“I think it’s just respecting the game and respecting what he’s done. They just don’t give out Super Bowl MVP trophies. And he has one of those, and he’s got a Pro Bowl and things like that,” Martindale said. “You can tell he has a live arm, and they’re trying to push the ball down the field with him. (I’ve) been in it long enough that I’ve gone against him when he was at Philly and those other places. It’s going go be a challenge because he’s got plenty of weapons to work with. He’s got two NBA players playing tight end (Kylen Granson and Mo Alie-Cox), and he’s got a bunch of receivers with huge catch radius – anything that’s close to them, they catch. So, it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

Here are more takeaways from Martindale’s Thursday media availability.

The Giants’ defensive coordinator wants ‘playoff fans’ on Sunday ...

“Everybody’s talked about how we want playoff football around here. Here’s what we need: We need playoff fans to show up for this game and be as loud as they can be. I know it’s New Year’s Day, so if you have one going on on New Year’s Eve, keep it going. And take it all the way through the game. If not, get plenty of rest and be ready to be loud on Sunday. I can’t wait for it; it’s going to be exciting times here for our great fans and for our guys on defense.”

On whether Jeff Saturday getting the Colts’ head-coaching job is disrespectful to long-time assistants like himself ...

“I don’t look at it that way. I just try to be the best at my job that I can be. And if it happens, it happens because I think it changes your personality if you start thinking that way. You sound like that little kid (saying), ‘Why did he get the new baseball glove, and I didn’t?’ So, I just look at it as, ‘Let’s go play some defense and get ready to get in the playoffs.’”

On outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins ...

“He’s a phenomenal coach. When I got interviewed here for the defensive coordinator job, and you can ask Dabs to confirm this, I said, ‘If it doesn’t work out with me, you need to hire this guy. He is a special talent in this league.’ I think he has done a great job with that outside backer room. And I think that our personnel has done a great job with the players that are in that room. And I think that it’s going to do nothing but get better.”

On the potential return of cornerback Adoree’ Jackson ...

“I don’t know if he necessarily changes the defense, but just the player himself and the person himself, I would love if that happens. But I don’t know. You have to talk to Dabs about that if we’re close on that or not.”