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EAST RUTHERFORD One question facing the Giants in this post-championship season is how will they replace the 22 sacks collectedlast year by the injured Osi Umenyiora and the retired Michael Strahan?
The answer is with Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka. The morepressing question, however, is how will they replace Tuck andKiwanuka?
"That's a good point," said Tuck, who had 10 sacks plus two morein the postseason playing some end and some tackle, particularly inthe nickel package. "But I think we've made the right personnelmoves to do that. We brought in [Renaldo] Wynn, we brought in[Jerome] McDougle. I think we made the right moves."
While Tuck was in double-digits, Kiwanuka added 4 sacks beforehis 2007 season was ended by that broken leg suffered againstDetroit in the 10th game. He moves back to his natural defensive endspot from linebacker, and showed he hasn't forgotten how to playwith his hand in the dirt by recording a sack in his first game backat end against New England.
"I wanted to get one early in that game," said Kiwanuka, who knewhe was going to get a limited number of snaps in that finalpreseason game. "Getting one early was a big confidence booster."
So Tuck, who arguably could have been the MVP of the Super Bowlwin, and Kiwanuka should be able to supply the pressure from flanks.But it will be up to guys such as Wynn, the 12-year veteran;McDougle, the onetime No. 1 draft pick of the Eagles; and tacklesJay Alford and Fred Robbins to add that extra pressure that oftencame from Tuck and Kiwanuka last season.
McDougle and Alford appear best equipped to become those supportpass rushers. Coach Tom Coughlin said Tuesday that it is "realistic"to think McDougle, signed Sunday as a free agent, will get somesnaps in Thursday night's opener against the Redskins. That newsexcited the 6-foot-2, 264-pound defensive end whose career inPhiladelphia was marred by injury after injury.
"Oh, wow!" he said. "I want to play, I want to be out there, Iwant to help these guys. They know what it takes to get to the topof the hill, so I want to be in there and feed off them. I want tobe able to add something to the mix."
McDougle said while defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo preppedunder Jim Johnson in Philadelphia, his system is not as similar asyou might expect. "It's a little more complex, to say the least," hesaid. "Coach Spags has put his own personal twist on the defense hehad in Philadelphia. But it's good, it really works. It's exciting,a lot of movement, a really aggressive defense."
Alford, the second-year man, had one sack during the regularseason plus that big one of Tom Brady late in Super Bowl XLII. TheGiants drafted him primarily as an inside pass rusher, but he may beasked to expand his role in 2008.
"They are moving me around a lot, but it was bound to happen,"said the former Penn State lineman. "I kind of figured it was goingto happen and I'm fine with it. It's a lot of situational stuff."
Last year he was sort of a pass-rushing luxury, but this yearAlford will be a pass-rushing necessity. "It's not any more pressureon me," he said, "because at the end of the day it's just football.Where they need me, that's where they are going to put me. And I'mgoing to go in there and try to make as many plays as I can."
Wynn, who said he has learned some new pass-rushing techniquesfrom line coach Mike Waufle, and Robbins, who has shown a goodinside rush in the past, are others who may contribute. Spagnuoloalso may incorporate some different blitzes to get his safeties andcorners more involved in the equation.
"It doesn't matter who's here or who's not here," Tuck said ofthe losses of Strahan and Umenyiora. "Our success last year camefrom working as a team. Everything is predicated on that. If we dothat again this year, we're going to have continued success."
E-mail: ditrani@northjersey.com
(C) 2008 The Record, Bergen County, NJ. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
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