Giants Journal

A Few More Snippets

October

Here’s a few other things from the assistants and coordinators that might suit your fancy:

From defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on keeping things together and not tearing up the entire playbook while the defense was giving up 80 points over the first two games: “Oh, yeah. Thatâ€™s never easy. But I donâ€™t believe that that is the way you get it solved. If you do that, you are admitting to yourself that you questioned them. And we never questioned them as a staff. We knew what we were doing was—- at least had a chance of being pretty good and if we kept pounding at it, it would turn around.

“But again I really do feel like the credit goes back to the players. In this league it is hard; it is a challenge to go through what they did in those first two games and come around and play some good football. So I really give it right back to them.”

Quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer on Eli Manning making plays with his legs against Miami: “Heâ€™s got to continue to work on his game and get better. But the fact that he contributed to the win in London with his legs is very, very encouraging. Itâ€™s another weapon he now has at his disposal.

“Itâ€™s an awareness of knowing what he canâ€™t get away with. Obviously, we want him to take care of himself and not get hurt.”

Safeties coach David Merritt on the play of rookie Michael Johnson in place of the injured James Butler: “As I was grading the film, I kept rewinding and saying to myself, ‘Am I seeing what I think I am? Michael’s proven, even with one start, that he can go out and make plays for us. He had a lot on his plate and he went out and played a strong, physical game, which is just awesome for us.”

Linebackers coach Bill Sheridan on why playing up front in the four-defensive end pass rush package helped Mathias Kiwanuka become a better strongside linebacker: “It helped from a linebacker standpoint because that’s a comfort level for him, playing down. That’s 20 snaps a game that he didn’t have to worry about dropping in coverage, which has been a new world for him. He’s done a great job. I’m sure it’s very comforting for him, and there’s less thinking involved before the ball is snapped.”

That’s it. And just as a way of self-promotion, you might want to pick up the Journal News tomorrow and read my story on quarterback Chris Palmer’s thoughts on Eli Manning making plays with his legs.

Ciao for now.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 31st, 2007 at 5:30 pm by Ernie Palladino.
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One Response to “A Few More Snippets”

Paul November 1st, 2007 at 9:15 am
I’m convinced that Eli was able to run for that TD in the Miami game because the Miami game plan had Eli running as a very low priority. I know the coaches don’t want Eli injured, but they need to make defenses plan for the possibility of an Eli run if they are going to get the most out of their offense.

(Yes, the field conditions had something to do with the Miami defense’s inability to change directions and pursue Eli on that run, but if they had planned for the possibility of an Eli run, they would have left at least one player on that side of the field. This would have left one less player covering the Giant receivers)

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