the beginning of the end of Justin Tuck as we knew him?
When he emerged in the 2007 playoff run, I hadn't seen many Giants that dominant and that versatile. He could play inside, was stout against the run, rush the passer outside, he looked pretty much unstoppable.
After the SB my Pats fan friends told me he was one of the best defensive players they remember the Pats facing. On any team, ever. seriously.
He was still good in 2008. The whole D was until the end of the season when things unraveled.
Was that play (video linked below) the end? Or was that stretch just an anomaly and Tuck just wasn't as good as I choose to remember?
I can imagine a D-lineman without total shoulder strength is not as effective. Just trying to figure it out.
Is that a reach?
Flozell the dirt bag trips Tuck - (
New Window )
I think Tuck was destined to break down early regardless of Flozell. (But didn't Flozell also shove Tuck from behind at Giants Stadium in another game, knocking Tuck to the ground?)
Flozell is a dirt bag - ( New Window )
just got bad all of a sudden? Even if he played well in 2010, that's why I said the "beginning of the end"
It's the NFL. Guys break down and they can lose it quickly. I don't think there was necessarily one particular play that signaled the start of his demise. I think ailments just started piling up on him and I think he's just got some milage on his body now and can't really get totally healthy. He's 30 years old now.. which doesn't sound old.. but in football years, it can be.
I get guys break down, but usually it's a slower process to go from that good to this invisible, and it's been 2 years of invisibility, so 28 is kind of young to break down for no other reason.
The perception around the league (and even some here) is that the Giants have a strong pass rush, and D-line and a lot of times you hear Tuck referenced.
As we've seen the past two seasons, it's quite the opposite. The pass rush is mostly non-existent and Tuck a non-factor mostly.
At least he has subway.
Ok. And your explanation like Arc's is that Tuck just physically broke down at 27/28 years old completely unrelated to that injury?
I remember him injuring that shoulder on that play and since that time, I remember hearing about him on the injury report with the shoulder and receiving treatment on the shoulder.
I don't remember any other injuries of this nature reported other than the shoulder for Tuck.
but I'm sure I don't remember all of them.
Maybe it's coincidental, maybe I'm just not remembering all of them, just not sure why it's an outlandish question.
And as someone who deals with significant pain on a pretty much daily basis (I have degenerative disk disease in my back, a legacy from 10 years of football and 6 more of rugby, not to mention my time as an infantryman and was recently told that at 30 I have the lower back of a 60 year old), i gotta say, I can empathize with some of the things he's talked about as far as getting his head on straight. Regardless of what you do or how much you are paid it's difficult to go through your daily existence in near constant pain. It's depressing, it's miserable, and it often makes it difficult to simply enjoy life, let alone your profession.
I feel for Tuck, he along with Kevin Boss and Sam Madison have become some of my favorite Giants of all time over the past 8 years or so. But I said it in March and I stick to it now: it was time to part ways.
Tuck called Flozell a dirt bag, a coward and said the play was bush league (both of them).
Otherwise I didn't comment on him, the titles of my links (dirt bag) were quotes from Tuck.
And even if there is bad blood, Adams tripped him there to save Romo from a hit, clear as day. Nothing more, nothing less. If he was out to intentionally hurt Justin Tuck, he could go about more effectively than hoping he falls at a certain angle off a trip. Sucks that it happened, but its a play that literally happens every week
2009: 20
2010: 10
2011: 8
2012: 6
2013 1 through 3 weeks
I wonder why. Coincidence?
I have seen Rolle trip a player before, and guessed he was going to hear from Goodell. But I'm sure anyone who commits penalties like that will not earn great respect from other NFL players.
He's probably near the end now. A very good career that could have been better had injuries not hampered him @ times.