Let me make this point before explaining myself. I am not a real good x and o guy like some on this site. So my opinion about Fewell might be based on perception rather than fact.
But it seems to me that Fewell's defense is almost entirely dependent on the front four creating pressure. He doesn't seem as willing or maybe as capable as Spagnuolo was in creating different bliz packages to create pressure.
For most of this past season my lack of confidence in Fewell was justified and shared by most.
However, even after the run began, it seemed to me that there were many games, where the Giants defense caught a break in a big spot with a poor throw or drop by the offense.
I keep remember the first Cowboy game, and even the unsual number of poor throws by Rogers in the play off game.
Even in the Super Bowl, during the two touchdown drives by the Patriots it seemed recievers were comming off the line, untouched, going down field a few yards open and running for yards after the catch. There never seemed to be any thought by them of throwing deep and yet the Giants made no adjustments.
Even in the second half, on the Patriots drive before the Giants went ahead, it seems like the Patriots stopped themselves as much as anything.
On the final Patriot drive, 1st play, how far was the receiver going had that pass been thrown just a bit more ahead of him.
I have been trying to convince myself, that the Giants defense really stepped up in the post season, and statistics say they did.
But somehow it didn't pass the eye test.
Tell me where I am wrong.
When we went 1-4 after Plax went down, would Fewell have fared better than Spags did?
They held the Falcons, Packers, 49ers, and Patriots to an average of 13.5 points.
And if you add in the Jets and Cowboys game when the turnaround began, then they held opponents to 13.67 points per game.
For a defense to hold opponents to less than 2 TDs per game when it really matters the most against teams that are in do or die situations is pretty stunning.
I was not a fan of Fewell throughout the season, but whatever adjustments were made worked and players stepped up their game.
He's earned another shot, IMHO.
I still we rely WAY to much on our pass rush. Even with that we still managed to fuck up coverages at least once a game including the super bowl.
I remember Spags bringing all sorts of pressure via A gap. Blitzing Ross from the slot, and showed great use of personnel packages. I saw something on extremeskins which made me laugh. They were ranking DCs, and someone wrote. How hard is it to tell Tuck and Osi, Hey, get the QB! The rest of you guys just play defense, lol. Obviously that's simplistic, but I think we rely way too much on the pass rush, and even then our back end still manages to fuck up.
So, even after this one, I am not confident, but now I went from fire that fool, to let's see how things shake out next year. Can we actually start playing good defense from the get go, and carry it throughout the season, even when there is more tape on what we are trying to do? I guess I will take another wait and see approach.
now imagine if this defense had...
Goff playing at MLB..
Thomas playing the starting corner opposite Webster.
Ross playing the slot...
Rolle actually being able to play FS which is his natrual position...
NYG looked to be playing into NE's hands for a chunk of the SB, but they figured it out and got it done.
It's not to say Spags couldn't evolve his schemes too, but we did just win a SB with Fewell.
Too, do we rely "way too much" on Eli? ;)
I dont think his style of defense would translate to 95% of the NFL. Spags on the other hand, has shown more of an ability to mask deficiencies and create on the fly.
For the Giants, at this point, Fewell is likely the better fit but I think overall, Spags is the better coach.
Right now they are equal.. period..
I understand the pass rush is our strength, but if things went to shit, I trust Spags in coming up with something creative rather than Fewell.
Fewell gets props for adjusting the defense though. But overall, for me he goes from red back to grey, meaning I will once again take a wait and see approach with him.
People on this site have become WAY too enamored with Steve Spagnuolo. He was a great DC here and everyone should love what he did. But people talk about him like he's some mastermind legend who can just never be replaced.
Once we got healthy and made a couple of adjustments, this defense was very good. Even last year, in Fewell's first with the Giants, we got to the QB and forced turnovers better than anyone. That's how you combat the high powered offenses in the league today. As Terps and others have said, I think Fewell understands what you need to do in order to shut them down.
Anyone picking on Fewell right now is nitpicking, and anyone saying Spags was better because of facts, is stretching.
Spags team started 0 - 2 and historically awful and was buoyed by a goal line stand week 3.
For whatever reason Fewell's defense didn't get healthy and/or buy into his system until a 97-play strong showing against the Jets.
so, the end results were similar, both defenses standing up to strong offensive opponents, but Fewell's was bad longer during the regular season.
if not for that you'd probably be as confident in Fewell
Seems to me that Fewell got dealt a tough hand with the injury situation. He tried to do what any competent DC would do. He tried to scheme around the weakness and disguise them. Unfortunately, this confused the Giants more than the opposition. As the D got healthier , he was able to rely less on the disguises.
The LB is weak at best, and only Boley is a true blitzer. There is a lot of skill with blitzing such as timing and stunts that involve speed and quickness. Not all LB are good blitzers.
Fewell has designed a scheme based on his personell. Strong in the front four. Thus the scheme revolves around the pressure coming from up front. We had injuries and at times were down Osi and Tuck. Thus Kiwi and JPP and Tolofson played more downs then desired.
Fewell simply stayed within the scheme based on his personell and what they do. The LB's here could barely stop the run. Adding in a sophisticated blitz scheme made no sense because the LBs were weak and raw this year.
In the future that can change as players grow.
What should make you feel good is in the playoffs the Giants defense held Atlanta to 2 points, GB to 20, SF to 14 and NE to 17. That is great defense.
If you think it was luck that Rodgers had a bad game then that is just because you want to believe Spags is better. Rodgers played like crap because the defense had a great game plan and executed.
BTW, I love Spags as a D-Coord. But look at what his genius did in St. Louis?
Like I said, Spags did a great job here. I think people get carried away, though. Ultimately, he didn't accomplish anything more than Fewell has.
But if I had to answer which run I thought was more impressive by the defense, it's 2007. I think people forget just how great the 2007 Pats offense was. Brady broke the recrod for TD passes and him and Moss were unstoppable, except for SB 42, of course. Spags gets alot of credit for that. I don't know if the 2011 Giants defense holds the 2007 Pats offense to 14. I don't think I see that happening.
I think he is a decent coordinator and has the luxury of relying on his front 4 to generate pressure. Thats what makes his D tick and he does have a tendency to stick with that sometimes too long, even if their not getting there, but his 3-safety package has proven to be effective in this pass-happy league now.
I think you'll also see vast improvement in the back 7 on D next year, as well. Many rookies in their second year; ready to add to this D.
Guy just won a freakin Super Bowl and the D played a major role. I, for one, have plenty of confidence in him!
Add that to the fact that the Falcons offense didn't even score a point on us and Brady only got 17... I don't know. This run was pretty damn impressive.
He really didnt have to in the playoffs b/c the pass rush was doing their job. For that approx 10 game stretch in the regular season when the pass rush was virtually non-existent, nothing changed, to the ire of many of us here.
I agree that we leaned heavily on the pass rushers this year. We did the same thing in 2007 down the stretch. Anyone doubting that needs to go back and watch the 2nd half of the Cowboy game. That pass rush was approaching '85 Bears levels of disruption.
Blitzing these top QBs these days is a recipe for disaster. Go back to two plays in our game in Dallas:
- 3rd and 5, Cowboys have 7 on the line, rush 6 (with a safety blitzing and Brooking backpedaling to fill his zone)...
Manningham All Alone, Eli Doesn't Miss
- 3rd and 5, Giants have 6 on the line, tip their hand pre-snap, rush 7...
Austin All Alone, Romo Ain't Eli
Good OCs identify these blitzes during the week, and they make sure their offensive players are able to spot them pre-snap and adjust accordingly.
Down the stretch the Giants had better players on defense than the opponents did on offense, and he was able to check his ego enough to let the superior talent dictate and not do anything nutty. I'll take that guy over the Rex Ryans and Dom Capers of the world every time.
Getting Rodgers (or Brees) to check down to a 5 yard play is a victory for the defense.
2011 Pats offense - 428 yds/game, 32 pts/game
So this year they averaged slightly more yards but slightly less points. To me this sounds about the same. In addition I can point out:
- the offenses we played in 2011 (Pats, Pack, Atl, even SF) were as good as the the offenses in 2007 playoff run overall
- the GB game in 2012 was played in good weather, the 2007 team was greatly aided by subzero temperatures
- the defense in the 2012 SB didn't let the Pats score after early in the 3rd quarter. Spags almost blew the game with a TD drive ending with 2 minutes to go.
The facts are this D was every bit as good as Spags, I don't see why anyone has an issue saying that. I could agree they are both about even. I also see nothing that says Spags is better based on track record (with and before the Giants). Again I could agree with they are both very good.
There is a reason why many people thought the Giants would win the SB this year and it was our offense, not out defense.