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.
That said, you also have to keep in mind that if you're going to be forced to create pressure by blitzing, then you damn well better have the horses in the back end to maintain coverage...and THAT'S where Fewell's defense struggled throughout the year. As someone said earlier in the thread, you had Thomas and Goff out in preseason...lost CB after CB that was signed to help out (the former Colts DB whose name escapes me right now...Tryon?...for example)...and had rookies, or flat out not good players, filling in the blanks at LB also (which, it appeared with Blackburn coming back and steadying the defense...is a bigger factor than any of us initially thought).
As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out with Fewell but it's interesting to see how his defense jelled and, IMO, the biggest addition wasn't some scheme change or a player coming back healthy (ie Osi)...but the re-addition of Blackburn to steady the LB corp. It's no surprise that he made one of the bigger plays of the game in the Super Bowl with that INT. I think his coming back to the team...and the effect it had on the whole defense...is actually still a bit underrated even now.
His defenses in STL haven't been nearly as effective nor consistent, which indicates that he too may have been helped tremendously by having a healthy and performing Front 4 here in NY.
All I know is that when crunch time came, both Spags and Fewell's D's rose to the occasion and were main componentes to why we have two rings during their tenures.
Fact is the guy won a Superbowl, and at the same time, nearly cost us the season.
I don't like a lot of the things he did personally,but I can live with it as long as the defense isn't getting picked apart in the secondary.
What have you done for me lately, that is what it is all about.
Spag didn't have a dominant offense to bail him out.
I have confidence in Fewell because of how we ended the season.
Rolle was playing out of position.
Give me Fewell with a healthy TT, Webster, Prince at CB + Rolle & Phillips at S. I bet you'd see more blitzes and not solely rely on the front 4 to get pressure if our confidence was higher in the 2ndary.
Works great against inferior teams, but then you run into guys like Eli Manning and Tom Brady, who are always looking for the one-on-one match up (ask the Ryan brothers, the current blitz masters, how it worked out for them)
The blitz is the "coup-de-grace" (exclusively implemented on 3rd and long), eminently implemented by Spags, here with a tremendously talented group of players ....
Then, on he went to the Rams; they gave him three years ? (before they tired, and threw him out).
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Spags and his passion. (Remember when he'd be on his knees, praying !); but in some ways he reminds me of Jerry Glanville (another Blitz Master), savant of the spectacular, but a bit lacking in the essentials ...
Maybe that's what Fewell is (more the boring guy) - Better founded in the fundamentals (but still willing to pull out the sword once-in-a-while).
an old slow LB,3 Safeties trying to be cornerbacks,ect//
we do have a great pass rush but next year we need
some db's w/ coverage skills....Prince will be ok and we
need to draft the best cb/s in draft w/ pick 1...
and DE pick 2....
If I were some of the recent linebacker draftees I would sort of be nervous about how a guy writing on a chalkboard and sitting on a couch (Blackburn) could come in a make serious defensive plays to help fuel improvements in our defense, yet those guys looked fucking lost out there.
Spags is more aggressive, his MO is get to the qb. If that meant sending a safety and/or a corner, so be it.
ADon't get me wrong he didn't blitz all the time. He's sneaky with his calls. Has good feel for the flow of the game.
Guys who play defense love to blitz, it's exciting to get the call.
Don't let the haters get you down. They are knee jerk fans who are not into analysis or discussion.
It is a point that is pretty hard to prove. Both coordinators have their strengths and weaknesses, but for some reason, Spags weaknesses are rarely discussed. Sort of the same way John Fox's weaknesses weren't discussed either.
Fewell and Spags employ two different philosophies, and we were able to see Fewell's at work when he had a healthy front 4. I really don't know if we can judge who is the better coordinator. Spags put his signature on the Rams D, and it was decent when people were healthy and terrible when they were injured - sort of a common theme throughout the league, and common to Fewell as well.
What have you done for me lately.
The 2011 Giants defense gave up 36 to the Seattle Seahawks with their backup playing most of the game.
Take away those horrendous penalties that extended their two TD drives, they only score 6 points.
We held a good Falcons offense to zero points.
We did alright with Fewell. There were a lot of question marks around Spags up until our run there at the end, just like there were with Fewell.
However, your post and anaylsis made alot of sense.
It goes both ways.
You guys who are Gnawing at the edges here need to get a life. If you can't enjoy what happened and the fact that the Giants played OUTSTANDING FOOTBALL ....and that includes the defense ... against the top ranked and seeded teams in the NFL to win the championship ... well nothing will ever satisfy you.
Spats did great .. But so did Fewell .. Give the guy some kudos.. He friggen deserves it!
However, this team during the regular season gave up more points than it scored. This team spent 14 weeks with a defense that seem incapable of stopping anyone.
This defense for most of the season played poorly to the point that none of us considered this a Super Bowl contender.
Rewatching the Super Bowl, all key stops in the second half were the result of a sack. I know that is a good thing. But my original point was simply that when the Giants don't get a rush with the fron four, there seems to be no answer.
That wasn't the case with Spagnuolo.
The points made about Fewell that I agree with, was that he did make some adjustments to get this defense playing to a higher level, and that maybe we will see an even bigger improvement next season if the defense stays healthy.
SMH. Having pro bowl players does a lot to make one look better. Too bad, the Rams couldn't bring Reese and the scouting department back in 2009, may have saved some jobs.
2007 LBers > 2011 Boley, Kiwi and late round rookie and UDFAs
CBs are the same except more depth on the 2007 team with veterans
The safety position is the only position that could be said to have been an advantage for the 2011 team.
Still curious as to whether anyone still counts the the GB and Dallas game anymore with Spags.
With that being said, exactly what 'adjustments' did Spags make when his defense was getting shredded to the tune of 80 points in the first two games of the '07 season? You probably already know the answer but I'll give it to those that don't...NONE. All he did was keep grinding and knew that eventually things would fall into place. He believed in his system and eventually was proven right.
My point is that, IMO, Fewell did much the same thing. I don't think he made any huge, 'magical' adjustments...it just took that much long for the defense to jell together (along with adding some vets to the middle of the defense and getting a few back from injury). I think that people are making a bit too much of these magical adjustments that were made by Fewell towards the end of the season. I think it was just a matter of better play (and better playERS) making significant contributions to the defense. I would've loved to see if the defense would've gotten better sooner had we added Blackburn sooner in the season.
Fewell responded to the situation and more importantly his defense responded and the Giants accomplished the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl...
Thats the pinnacle.. both men have done it..
In 2011... that really wasn't the case...
The Giants offense almost let the SF game slip away.. and the Giants Defense stiffened heroically in the second half of the Superbowl...
I think this was a harder run and the 2011 defense was better since the Jets game...
As I said.. Spags was excellent. I have nothing against him. But it's not like the 2007 Giants defense was the 85 Bears.