The Giants defense was scorched last week in New Orleans. But if they think they can relax because they’re going from facing a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees to a rookie in Jameis Winston, head coach Tom Coughlin said he’s already squashed that thinking and has warned his squad about overconfidence. “He’s taking care of the ball right now,” Coughlin said about Winston. “And he’s been very good on play-action, the deep ball to his big wide receivers [Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson], and on any naked plays like the bootlegs. He’s grasping the offense.” Winston’s passer rating on throws of 20 or more yards is 123, which is second-best in the NFL, backing up Coughlin’s claims that the neophyte has been playing like a seasoned veteran lately.
Coughlin said he doesn’t think his beleaguered defense will have any hangover from the Saints game, noting they’ve come to work this week ready shore up any deficiencies that plagued them last week. “You go back to fundamentals [and] you go back to some basics that obviously we struggled with a little bit. A couple times we didn’t line up properly or quickly enough, [and] our communication sometimes was not as good as it should’ve been,” Coughlin said when asked how his defense bounces back. “You get yourself lined up, get your eyes where they belong, play the technique you’re supposed to play, be ready to be a reactionary football player on the snap of the ball, and definitely know what your assignment is — whether it be zone or whether it be man, and try to be at the right spot at the right time.” The errors in the New Orleans game are teachable moments, noted Coughlin. He added that he is firmly in the corner of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, and thinks his coach will get “those things get ironed out.” RELATED LINK: NFL Week 8 Power Rankings
Coughlin said when trying to eradicate such a performance from memory, the best way to make sure it doesn’t repeat itself is to go back to the roots of a scheme.
“You need to keep them [mistakes and missed tackles] at a minimum. Last week, the New Orleans Saints gained 57 percent of the yardage made in the passing game after the catch so that is a main concern,” Coughlin said. “We’ve talked an awful lot about being able to tackle well. Tackling is, obviously, a very big fundamental. It’s the first thing we do every week. We tackle and then the next day, we take the ball away so we’re always practicing that particular fundamental.” Safety Brandon Meriweather said his defense’s psyche was “hurt” just a few days ago, but they’re over it now and ready to fully digest the Buccaneers’ scheme.
“You go back to the drawing board. You have to go back to the basics. I think what we did was we got away from the basics, the things that we do good, and you just have to go back to that and continue to build on that,” said Meriweather, adding his defense will be ready to tackle and execute. “Every team is going to have missed tackles. There isn’t one team in the league who you can look at and say, ‘Oh, that team doesn’t miss tackles.’ As long as people are running to the ball, and being relentless, and making up for their brother next to them, then we’ll be alright. … We are going to pull it together. I wholeheartedly believe that. So, no, I’m not worried about taking one step forward and one step back.” Big Blue notes:
For Giants, it’s back to fundamentals after Saints fiasco in Week 8
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