Post by GordonG on Jun 14, 2018 23:17:04 GMT -5
A few overall notes from the last couple days and trends from the spring:
• I’ve seen Kyle Lauletta get more and more comfortable as the offseason program progressed. Early on, it looked like things were moving a little fast for him, and his accuracy suffered, but he has been much sharper at the end of OTAs and through minicamp. He looks a lot more like the guy I saw on film from Richmond. He relies on anticipation and timing to succeed, so it makes sense it took a little time to come together.
• Throughout the spring, I’ve enjoyed watching the officials at practice have conversations with the players, which results in a real give and take on how certain rules are officiated and why certain calls were made. I think it is a great tool for players to learn from their mistakes.
• There is no doubt in my mind that William Gay and Michael Thomas have emerged as the real vocal leaders of the secondary group. I hear those two guys talking it up all the time between plays, getting their teammates ready to go and motivating them. I love the attitude of both veterans.
• I mentioned this before, but I also want to reiterate how much I appreciate the coaching style of secondary coaches Lou Anarumo and Deshea Townsend. Both guys are very active coaching up their players on the field after every play rather than waiting until the film room later in the day. I’ve spoken to a number of players who have told me how much that helps them correct their mistakes quickly and understand why the mistakes occurred.
• Two of the most important competitions during the spring were for the slot corner spot and the second safety spot next to Landon Collins. In the slot, William Gay appears to be the starter for now, but Donte Deayon, Grant Haley and B.W. Webb have all shown up at different times. At safety, the depth chart has been moving all over the place with holdovers Andrew Adams and Darian Thompson getting plenty of chances. Do not sleep on three newcomers: Michael Thomas, Orion Stewart and Curtis Riley. Expect a good competition at training camp.
• I’ve loved what I’ve seen from wide receivers Hunter Sharp and Roger Lewis Jr. at times this spring, but if I had to guess, the first 11 personnel alignment we’ll see on the field at the end of July will feature Odell Beckham Jr., Cody Latimer and Sterling Shepard. Latimer has looked like someone the Giants can depend on this year.
• Pat Shurmur is going to throw to his running backs down the field. The wheel route has been prevalent the last few weeks, and not just for Saquon Barkley, who continues to destroy linebackers in one-on-one coverage for big gains. Wayne Gallman and others have had similar success on those plays.
• My one big takeaway about the offense: it is diverse and versatile. The team should be able to run the ball better with the improved offensive line and Saquon Barkley. There are plenty of short and intermediate passes in the playbook, some with west coast principles and others not. There will be a ton of play action. Most importantly, there are plenty of designed plays that give the quarterback a chance to get the ball downfield. If you can do all those things, the offense will be tough to stop. Also, Eli Manning still has gas left in the tank. He has looked pretty darn good in the spring.
• My one big takeaway from the defense: the number of varied blitzes James Bettcher has in his arsenal is off the charts. Whether it is linebackers, safeties or slot corners, a blitz can come from anywhere at any time. I do not envy quarterbacks having to read those types of plays. One thing that stood out when I talked to Bettcher: he said his blitzes aren’t designed to get a free runner every time. Rather, they are designed to create one-on-one matchups that will give his players a chance to win. He knows eventually his guys will have to beat the opponent, and it is his job to give them the best chance to do it. We’ll see how consistently Giants pass rushers can win those matchups when the pads come on.
www.giants.com/news/notes-and-observations-from-minicamp-6-14