I have not been much of a football enthusiast for some time, as the many apsects of the modern game don't appeal to me. I'm not campaigining for Woody Hayes and a clould of dust....
But there is something to be said for DEFENSE and RUSHING the football.
Much to my suprise, I have found myself emotionally invested in Saquon Barkley becuse of his gifts as a rusher and an all around athelete, and Daniel Jones, as a passer AND a rusher AND as a young man who sucked it up and took all of the abuse of the media and the fans who thought the Giants we nuts for making such a reach in the draft....and who learned from his mistakes and got better.
Long story short, the Giants culture has been mired in mediocrity due to, among many things, an unstable culture due to some sappy coaches.
Coach Joe Judge appears to have changed that.
The Giants season began inauspicously, and while they were often close losses, they were LOSSES.
He kept faith in his system, he kept faith in the process, he kept faith in his players, and he kept faith in his quarterback's development through thick and thin, and idiots in the media calling for his benching.
Yesterday, the Giants defense, complex and well coached, played with incredible spirit and energy, including among others, Leonard Williams, who was denigrated by the media as an underachiever who was not a good pass rusher and for whom the Giants' GM was excoriated at giving up a third round draft pick. Likewise the Odell Beckham trade which garnered Jabril Peppers. Likewise drafting OT Andrew Thomas who notably struggled through the first half of the season. Likewise the entire 2020 draft class.
Georgia OT Andrew Thomas, Round 1, Pick 4
Alabama S Xavier McKinney, Round 2, Pick 36
UConn OT Matt Peart, Round 3, Pick 99
UCLA CB Darnay Holmes, Round 4, Pick 110
Oregon G Shane Lemieux, Round 5, Pick 150
Penn State LB Cam Brown, Round 6, Pick 183
Minnesota LB Carter Coughlin, Round 7, Pick 218
South Carolina LB T.J. Brunson, Round 7, Pick 238
Minnesota CB Chris Williamson, Round 7, Pick 247
Georgia LB Tae Crowder, Round 7, Pick 255
A couple of weeks ago, Judge fired his offensive line coach, because he wanted to rotate offensive linemen to SPED THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS YOUNGSTERS.
Well, yesterday, they all came through, with tough D, a veteran backup QB in Colt McCoy, and a running game by committee that came through like a motherfucker, with their young offensive line competing at a high level. God do I love Wayne Gallman...old school running back.
The GIANTS beat one of the top teams in the NFL, and put so much pressure on one of the best QBs, as Williams had two sacks, as he and his linemates put lots of pressure on Wilson, while Peppers and veteran Logan Ryan and their late round linebackers played with great focus and coherence.
I mention this in passing because I believe in Tom Thibodeau and this Knicks roster, with its mix of vets and youth, we have a chance at finally putting the grotesque miscues which have dominated the past 20 years, let alone the past five or so behind us.
A SYSTEM
ACCOUNTABILITY
Judge has started to see results and by no means have the Giants arrived, but he has raised the bar, and empowered top flight offensive and defensive coordinators.
Thibs is at the very beginning of our own....PROCESS. And while there is scant evidence to hang one's hat on in the days before this Friday's first preseason game....well...I like our puppies, I like the free agents we brought on board and I like Thibs.
Some people don't like this team. FAIR ENOUGH. These are our KNICKS we're talking about. But there is no doubt Thibs has conveyed his message and raised the bar, and it remains to be seen how Obi talks it and how Obi walks it and how Obi evolves and comes back after getting torched by fours, fives and threes who will test him and torch him...how Knox and Smith and Frank respond to Thibs' implicit challenge and all those who have written them off. Not least being the "fans" who blithely dismiss Obi as a loser on defense.
There are considerable stumbles awaiting us. But with players buying into a coach such as Judge, such as Thibodeau, this season is hardly a slow motion sprint to the draft lottery.
ONWARDS
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