Read: Is Sheridan Figuring it Out?
In an article from Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, he writes about 1st year D-coordinator Bill Sheridan and the recent effectiveness of his play-calling on the defensive side of the ball.
This somewhat (perhaps even too late) encouraging success on the defensive side of the ball has been sparked by a few different changes, starting with personnel and ending with philosophy.
Three weeks ago, head coach Tom Coughlin had asked Sheridan to shake things up. In doing so, Sheridan flipped starters Osi Umenyiora, Chase Blackburn, and Fred Robbins out of the starting lineup and inserted Mathias Kiwanuka, Jonathan Goff, and Chris Canty.
Since these three have taken over, the Giants new mindset has been primarily about stopping the run. and in the last three games, the Cowboys Eagles and Redskins have ran for 45, 77, and 89 yards respectively.
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. Winning starts with control the rushing attack on both sides of the ball. Granted the Eagles did still manage to put 45 points up two weeks ago, but that had a lot more to do with the passing attack.
It seems that Sheridan is starting to get more comfortable with the fact that he’s calling the shots and with the personnel he has. It’s tough to step in for a guy who just got a head coaching job somewhere else and immediately have a defense just as effective as it was when he left it.
I think what I’m trying to say is, maybe we should ease off Sheridan a little bit and give him the benefit of the doubt…or maybe not. All I know is this; the defense really has been showing up more and more as the season draws to a close, and I just hope it will continue to show up tomorrow against the Panthers.
