While deep-diving on research for the 1986 season I came across this great training camp article on LT, Carson, Banks & Co.
While this brings back great memories of course, it also saddens me to think that the span of time betweem Sam Huff (who is referenced in the article) and this 1986 group is smaller than the gap between the end of LTs career and where we are now. Since 1993 the only LB to make the Pro Bowl in a Giant uniform is Jessie Armstead - and that was almost 20 years ago! It's on the verge of becoming as bad as the WR drought between Homer Jones and Amani Toomer.
Anyway, I highly recommend this article, its worthwile reading.
Giant Linebackers: Keepers of the Flame - (
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The Saints were good. Rickey Jackson was one of those players drafted to be "the next LT."
The Bears were a 4-3 team built around their DL, very different than the Giants & Saints 3-4.
More seriously, the giants elected to move to. 4-3 and shifted resources to the DL - which they did VERY well for years.
Really the headline is the giants scouting group falling apart somewhere after 2007....
And Andy Headen, who the NFLPA used at the impetus for Plan B Free Agency. He and Hunt could have easily started for most of the other teams in the NFL.
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a collection of solid LBs, imv. Van Pelt, Kelly, Pat Hughes, Dan Lloyd (before Lymphoma), Files..Then of course the usual mid-80s guys we loved. And the back-ups? Robbie Jones, Byron Hunt, etc..
And Andy Headen, who the NFLPA used at the impetus for Plan B Free Agency. He and Hunt could have easily started for most of the other teams in the NFL.
Yup, I just blanked on him..Also Johnny Cooks in the late ‘80s was a valuable contributor for a few years as I recall
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In comment 14860026 Big Blue '56 said:
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a collection of solid LBs, imv. Van Pelt, Kelly, Pat Hughes, Dan Lloyd (before Lymphoma), Files..Then of course the usual mid-80s guys we loved. And the back-ups? Robbie Jones, Byron Hunt, etc..
And Andy Headen, who the NFLPA used at the impetus for Plan B Free Agency. He and Hunt could have easily started for most of the other teams in the NFL.
Yup, I just blanked on him..Also Johnny Cooks in the late ‘80s was a valuable contributor for a few years as I recall
Yeah, Cooks was another "the next LT" when he was drafted. Ironic that he ended up on the Giants, and was a key contributor to the 1990 Super Bowl run.
Link - ( New Window )
Plaxico didn't either iirc.
The top 10 are amazing....
then it immediately turns into a group of average guys at best. It is amazing how this team has only been able to find two LBs (pierce and armstead) since the 1991 Superbowl
Livingston, then Tom Scott we got from the Eagles. Terrific group indeed.
Plaxico didn't either iirc.
It's not that he was bad. He played in the same era as guys like Torry Holt and Tim Brown. Toomer wasnt a top level WR when those guys are the class of the position group across the league. He was clearly a second-tier talent.
If you look at the past 30 years, there’s a handful of phenomenal guys from the edge of that 30 years and a ton of hot garbage. It’s ancient history.
That list is brutal after the top 10. I’m just about 40. Minus a year here or there, the giants have had horrendous linebackers and frequently had horrendous defenses - for decades.
And the difference between Brian Kelley at #10 and Chase Blackburn at #11 is immense.
That list is brutal after the top 10. I’m just about 40. Minus a year here or there, the giants have had horrendous linebackers and frequently had horrendous defenses - for decades.
I agree..
I am older than you are and was fortunate enough to see the Giants through the 70s as a kid and the 80s as a teenager.
Back then, the NFC and AFC (for the most part) had very distinct qualities. With just a couple of exceptions, the NFC (in the 80s) was considered the more physical and punch you in the mouth, defensive style of play. Meanwhile, the AFC was more of the offensive minded style of play.
USUALLY.. when an NFC team would meet up with an AFC team, it was going to be a game where the NFC team was more physical and the AFC team would have to win with finesse.
I feel like with the arrival of Dan Reeves, this team began to shape itself more like an AFC team. I guess that makes sense since Dan came from the AFC and he brought some of those players over. However, that seemed to have continued. The Giants were no longer a team that other teams feared to play physically. Teams like the Ravens took over in that respect in the early 2000's and even the Steelers got that back again after losing it from back in the 70's.
I guess this is why I liked hearing what Judge had to say in his first press conference. Getting back to being a tough physical team in the end is what I am looking forward to... in addition to winning.
The Saints were a good unit, maybe 2nd best behind the Giants.
I always thought Singletary was overrated. He was good, bu HArry Carson always better, and betetr in coverage too. MS got way too much mileage out the that bulging eyeball, head swivel clip from NFL Films.
I get the disappointment in moving away from Linebacker focused D, but the Giants never stopped producing excellent front-7 players. Instead of Taylor-Carson-Banks, we had Osi-Tuck-Strahan-JPP.
Personally, I prefer the 3-4 - I think it adds versatility to a defense, makes it much harder to predict with multiple hybrid players.
All the good teams still seem to have good ones!!!!
Ffs.
Except for 2008 - can you name a year in the 2000's were you believed and were confident that the Giants were a team to be feared, and be confidently believe that they should go all the way before the season started?
That 86' group oozed confidence from the coach on down. They were bad. Big and bad. And they exuded it! And it was the defense boys, not the offense that gave you this confidence.
We all had a love/hate relationship with Simms. He was not the Mr consistency that Eli Manning was to that point, the offense, with the exception of Joe Morris was not inspiring. Phil McConky is a hero now but he was cut before the season started. OJ Anderson wasn't on the team in training camp. Bavaro was injured. There was no reason to believe in the offense, but the defense - they were were frikken awesome. They could take over any game they were in.
Except for 2008 - can you name a year in the 2000's were you believed and were confident that the Giants were a team to be feared, and be confidently believe that they should go all the way before the season started?
That 86' group oozed confidence from the coach on down. They were bad. Big and bad. And they exuded it! And it was the defense boys, not the offense that gave you this confidence.
We all had a love/hate relationship with Simms. He was not the Mr consistency that Eli Manning was to that point, the offense, with the exception of Joe Morris was not inspiring. Phil McConky is a hero now but he was cut before the season started. OJ Anderson wasn't on the team in training camp. Bavaro was injured. There was no reason to believe in the offense, but the defense - they were were frikken awesome. They could take over any game they were in.
Yep. The season before ended in Chicago in the playoffs. The Bears were unbelievable that season. In fact the Bears considered us their only real thread. Our defense pretty much shut down the Bears offense, but our offensive issues and Landeta just killed us. They ended up beating the Rams by 24, in the Super Bowl the Pats by 36.
That's the only thing that stopped us, so we knew we could get back.
And that was it!
I believe the 86' Giant Defense and the 08' Offense are the 2 best units I have and ever will see the New York Giants field.
I still believe Plax ruined a 3rd SuperBowl for Manning.