I am not talking about Punt or Kick returners. I am talking the best ST defender ever... work with a kid who is nephew of this player and he didn't know how known his uncle was as a player.
"We're just not getting it done on kickoff coverage,'' said Coach Bill Parcells. ''Some guys are taking up space. They're out there, but not doing much. It's not that they want to allow long runbacks, but we're not getting proper effort and execution. We're consistently not doing a good job. We can be a little more aggressive.''
Special teams are concerned with kickoffs, kickoff returns, punts and punt returns. Like most professional teams, the Giants use only a handful of regulars on their special teams. Most of the players are linebackers and defensive backs. For kickoffs, the Giants have five players lined up to one side of the kicker and five to the other side.
''This week,'' said Romeo Crennel, the Giants' special-teams coach, ''we've been emphasizing angles on the ball and squeezing to the ball. We had problems against Cleveland because we didn't pinch or else we overcommitted. When the blocks were made, we had three guys outside the ball and one inside. When that one man was blocked, a lane opened for the ballcarrier.''
Controlled Recklessness
That is the technical side of it. The other side of special-teams success is emotion, combined with a controlled recklessness. Larry Flowers had that and became the Giants' best coverage man, but he became a victim of the 45-man roster limit and was waived four weeks ago. Now he's a member of the Jets' special teams.
''Sure, a lot of it is emotion,'' said Crennel. ''You have to want to get downfield and throw guys around and get to the ball and make the tackle. We have guys who are trying.'' One is Robbie Jones, the backup inside linebacker and the most prolific tackler on the Giants' coverage teams.
''The ball gets kicked to one side,'' said Jones, ''and it sucks the coverage to that side. Meanwhile, the backside coverage seems to slow down a bit, so the runner has room.
''When we had a 49-man roster, we had guys we could keep around for special teams. Now we have to use guys who have never done this before. They've gone through high school and college being starters, and they didn't put starters on special teams there. So these guys are learning on the job.''
Andy Headen, a backup outside linebacker, intimated that the Giants needed more special-teams leaders.
''Playing special teams is harder than playing defense,'' he said. ''Guys don't have it in the back of their head that it could mean the game. You have to play special teams like it's the last play of the game.
''Larry Flowers had it in his head that he was going to make the play. If we had that attitude, we could do it, too. It seems like we're waiting for someone to take that role. Sometimes I think we depend on certain people like Robbie Jones or Elvis Patterson to make the play. We just have to do it ourselves.''
And believe me it is not even close. He was the best Giant special teamer I ever saw. And probably as good as any in the NFL during the years I have been watching. He was a difference maker
If you're referring to the best ST player as far as making tackles
was the best special team cover man I've ever seen, let alone on the Giants. His work in the 1989 and 1990 seasons was insane. Perhaps the best Plan B free agent signing during that weird free agent phase.
He has done it for so long and at such a high level. He came in the 2007 draft class and he is still here, still doing Specials, still grinding it out. Yes Thompson and Tyree were great but the length of time ZD has been doing it is amazing.
... who combined for one of the great special teams plays in NY Giants history in 2012 NFC Championship game in SF. Thomas made a couple of ST plays in that game I recall.
Was there ever a bigger defensive special teams play in the history of the franchise?
He was a wild man racing downfield in the early 60's. If memory serves me right he was named captain of the special teams for his reckless special teams play.
"We're just not getting it done on kickoff coverage,'' said Coach Bill Parcells. ''Some guys are taking up space. They're out there, but not doing much. It's not that they want to allow long runbacks, but we're not getting proper effort and execution. We're consistently not doing a good job. We can be a little more aggressive.''
Special teams are concerned with kickoffs, kickoff returns, punts and punt returns. Like most professional teams, the Giants use only a handful of regulars on their special teams. Most of the players are linebackers and defensive backs. For kickoffs, the Giants have five players lined up to one side of the kicker and five to the other side.
''This week,'' said Romeo Crennel, the Giants' special-teams coach, ''we've been emphasizing angles on the ball and squeezing to the ball. We had problems against Cleveland because we didn't pinch or else we overcommitted. When the blocks were made, we had three guys outside the ball and one inside. When that one man was blocked, a lane opened for the ballcarrier.''
Controlled Recklessness
That is the technical side of it. The other side of special-teams success is emotion, combined with a controlled recklessness. Larry Flowers had that and became the Giants' best coverage man, but he became a victim of the 45-man roster limit and was waived four weeks ago. Now he's a member of the Jets' special teams.
''Sure, a lot of it is emotion,'' said Crennel. ''You have to want to get downfield and throw guys around and get to the ball and make the tackle. We have guys who are trying.'' One is Robbie Jones, the backup inside linebacker and the most prolific tackler on the Giants' coverage teams.
''The ball gets kicked to one side,'' said Jones, ''and it sucks the coverage to that side. Meanwhile, the backside coverage seems to slow down a bit, so the runner has room.
''When we had a 49-man roster, we had guys we could keep around for special teams. Now we have to use guys who have never done this before. They've gone through high school and college being starters, and they didn't put starters on special teams there. So these guys are learning on the job.''
Andy Headen, a backup outside linebacker, intimated that the Giants needed more special-teams leaders.
''Playing special teams is harder than playing defense,'' he said. ''Guys don't have it in the back of their head that it could mean the game. You have to play special teams like it's the last play of the game.
''Larry Flowers had it in his head that he was going to make the play. If we had that attitude, we could do it, too. It seems like we're waiting for someone to take that role. Sometimes I think we depend on certain people like Robbie Jones or Elvis Patterson to make the play. We just have to do it ourselves.''
Link - ( New Window )
gmenatlarge : 8:22 pm : link : reply
...
See video
Larry Flowers - ( New Window )
and yes, another vote for Thompson.
I agree.
If we're talking overall special teams dynamo (downing punts, etc.) I'll go with Thompson.
Tyree was so good at one of the biggest field position changing plays in football, downing punts inside the 5 yard line. He was such a weapon on ST's.
I give the slight nod to Reyna though who just seemed to make big plays every week for a few years in a row.
Landeta helped anybody covering punts though
Was there ever a bigger defensive special teams play in the history of the franchise?
He's the most memorable Giants ST player to me even if he's not the best.
He's the most memorable Giants ST player to me even if he's not the best.
Don't recall him making very many tackles.