Tag Archives: Phillip Dillard
When you write a column or a blog these days, it really doesn’t matter how much you know (or think you know) about the subject matter at hand.
The masses will come out and challenge you on your virtual pulpit and force you to defend your stance. Then, there’s the alternative: you can give in.
Tagged Chad Jones, DeSean Jackson, Dez Bryant, Eli Manning, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jerry Reese, Linval Joseph, New York Giants Blogs, Phillip Dillard |
The 3 -o Bear’s are coming to town Sunday night and the NY Giants need a win to gain some momentum in the division and for them confidence of the team. However the Giants have hit the training room with a rash of serious injuries that is sure to impact this team moving forward.
Pain in Neck: The biggest blow to the team is loosing Mathias Kiwanuka with a bulging disc in his neck. After practice earlier this week, Kiwi underwent a CAT scan were he was diagnosed with a bulging cervical disc. He is out for a undetermined period of time time. The versatile Kiwanuka leads the team with 4 sacks and has had major success from the defensive line and linebacker position in this new Fewell system.
Bum Ankle: The anchor of the offensive line, Shaun O’Hara is still shut down as the Giants try desperately to get him healthy. Adam Koates takes his place; however his on presence is greatly missed on the field and the in locker room.
Turf Toe: If “turf toe” holds out Keith Bulluck from Sunday Nights game the Giants could be in for a long night. Clint Sintim, who is an up and coming player would take over for the injured Bulluck, however the young Sintim has not yet quiet exploded on the scene as Giants fans had hoped. Sintim’s job will be primarily be to keep Bears running back, Matt Forte in check; however Detroit and Dallas couldn’t keep him off the scoreboard.
Matt Forte already has over 200 yards and 3 TD’s receiving out of the back field.
Missing in Action: Can Perry Fewell please create some stunts for Osi Umenyiora? No one is happy that he is once again non-existent in the Giants weekly defensive stats and showing shades of 2009. He has a total of 6 tackles? Maybe he isn’t being used correctly?
Osi currently has a knee injury and listed as questionable.
Back Surgery: Safety Michael Johnson, is now out for the year after receiving successful microdisectomy surgery.
Linebacker U: Chase Blackburn (knee) and Phillip Dillard (hamstring) are probable and will be greatly needed to stop Devin Hester on special teams. The Giants special teams have been horrible.
Big Play & No Play: Mario “Big Play” Manningham (concussion) is probable and is always needed for the big play ability he showcases week in and week out. With a bit more consistency Manningham could be a star.
Darius “no play” Reynaud (illness) practiced fully and is probable. Reynard has been a HUGE disappointment in the return game. He is averaging 6….yes, 6 yards a punt return. The Giants sorely miss Domenik Hixon who in 2008 averaged 10.1 yards a punt return and in 2009 averaged a 15.1 yards per return.
Tagged Giant Injury Report, Keith Bulluck, Mario Manningham, Matt Forte, Michael Johnson, Osi Umenyiora, Phillip Dillard, Shaun O'Hara |
Phillip Dillard, the Giants’ fourth round selection in April’s draft is signed, sealed and delivered.
According to SNY’s Mike Garafolo, the former Nebraska Cornhusker MLB agreed to a 4-year, $2.28 million deal with the Giants today with a signing bonus of $493K.
LB Adrian Tracy, the Giants’ sixth round pick, is also in the fold with a 4-year deal worth $1.895 million with a $105K bonus. Tracy played his collegiate ball at William and Mary.
Tagged Adrian Tracy, New York Giants, New York Giants Blogs, New York Giants News, Phillip Dillard |
6th Rounder Adrian Tracy Also Signed
The Giants are slowly getting all of their draft choices under contract. Today they announced that fourth-round selection, LB Phillip Dillard of Nebraska and 6th round selection DE Adrian Tracy of William and Mary have come to terms with the team.
Today’s signings leave only DE Jason Pierre-Paul, DT Linval Joseph, OL Mitch Petrus and P Matt Dodge remaining to be signed. Last week, the Giants inked S Chad Jones of LSU.
According to Mike Garafolo of SNY and The Star Ledger, the Tracy deal is for four years at approximately $1.9 million. No specifics of Dillard’s deal have been released as of yet.
Tagged Adrian Tracy, New York Giants, New York Giants Blogs, New York Giants News, Phillip Dillard |
Hello GFB community. I will be doing a weekly blog post, focusing on areas where I think the Giants could use some improvement. Expect to see me every Thursday.
For my first post I thought I would try to establish a rubric, so to speak, for my own dissatisfaction with the MLB situation. I know it seems sometimes that I (Igs) am only seeing this thing from the ‘glass half empty’ perspective, but in truth there are a number of important angles that inform my reservations:
How close are the Giants?
This speaks more to the general draft and personnel philosophy. Do you see the Giants as a team trying to figure out how to make a championship run or a team that has already put all the pieces together and won a ring? Quite a few of the players the Giants have drafted in the past two seasons would suggest the former, players that were two to thee years away on draft day, like Ramses Barden, Travis Beckum, Linval Joseph, and of course, Jason Pierre-Paul.
If these developmental players were taken late in the draft, did not cost multiple picks, or were drafted to a team without needs, I would be more comfortable with them. But some of these guys were drafted in places where players that filled a need could have been taken, like maybe a middle linebacker.
Quality of depth
Do you agree, like much of the projections, that the Giants will find their next Mike backer in the depth chart? I think if you’re honest with yourself, many of the candidates just wont look viable. Let’s start with the completely unlikely. Gerris 
Wilkinson doesn’t have a chance. You just don’t take a guy that failed miserably at Will and expect him to become your next starting Mike, a position that requires greater lateral quickness, instincts, and a certain kind of smarts. Precedent-wise, has anyone ever failed so miserably at WLB and gone on to success at MLB?
Phillip Dillard was a productive college MLB. But he is a thumper. He’s a run-stopping specialist, great at filling, but not so great at covering TEs, slot receivers, and RBs. That’s a serious liability in a pro 4-3 defense, especially in a Tampa 2 system, where the MLB has a greater coverage responsibility. Linebackers like Dillard really can’t start unless they’re in a 3-4 playing next to another coverage MLB.
Then there’s Brian Kehl, who hasn’t quite flourished yet, but makes a lot of sense as Michael Boley’s understudy. Again, just the fact that he has yet to be successful as a weakside linebacker is pretty much a guarantee that he can’t play the middle.
Johnathan Goff, Chase Blackburn, and my favorite dark horse, Micah Johnson are the three MLB prospects that have a realistic shot at starting. Blackburn just isn’t enough of an athlete and his lack of success at the position is well documented, though he brings some good veteran experience to the table.
Goff has questionable coverage skills and instincts. Johnson, the UDFA, has a chance to really emerge from this large group of backup players. Johnson nursed foot and knee injuries during a very productive 2009 campaign (105 Tackles, 51 Solo) and carried those injuries into the pre-draft period, which would explain a very slow 40-time.
Relevence of the MLB in the 4-3 system
How important is all this MLB talk anyway? John Fennelly proposes that the Giants organization places relatively low value on LBs. And I think he’s dead on.
Reese’s recent decisions indicate that he thinks the position is negligible. And it’s funny that Coughlin, this season’s sacrificial lamb, plays along, because he never had LBs in Jacksonville, and that team spent a lot of time not quite getting there. But I just can’t think of a successful Giants team that lacked great linebackers. From LT. Harry Carson, Carl Banks, to Jessie Armstead, Antonio Pierce and Kawika Mitchell.
I can’t think of one successful period in the modern history of the Giants where they haven’t had great LB play. So when did the organization adapt this ridiculous stance? Are they haunted by the ghost of LaVar Arrington?
Furthermore, though the Giants still have major question marks at DT, this is a relatively complete defense outside of this MLB. But in a 4-3, how viable is it to have a complete defense without the MLB that brings it all together, a Brian Urlacher, a Ray Lewis, a Gary Bracket, an… Antonio Pierce.
One has to question the wisdom of the great Jerry Reese for leaving this very strong defense without its quarterback, particularly when there were quite a few great candidates available in the draft, one of them a surefire 10 year starter: Sean Weatherspoon, Donald Washington, and Jamar Cheney among others. These guys actually fit in the Tampa-2 system.
We’ve discussed all these issues in the past on the Giants Blog on some level, and I’m sure all of us are holding out some kind of hope that things workout this season. And by “workout” I mean this team wins a Super Bowl. But if you can put all these angles together and not have just a little bit of apprehension about this season, then I have to wonder if you have a pulse.
Yesterday John Fennelly reported that Goff and Dillard are receiving the bulk of the MLB reps. So one would assume that Goff has emerged as the starter and Dillard as his backup. But one has to ask the question, emerged from what? From Gerris Wilkinson, Brian Kehl, Chase Blackburn, and two UDFAs?
I’m just not convinced. You have a very good 4-3 defense that lacks the most important cog, MLB, as well as some good leadership. Most of the candidates to start don’t look viable. Meanwhile, you’re fielding three RE, two that have proven to be a liability in the run game. Your GM doesn’t think it’s an issue. Maybe Coach Coughlin will cover all those offensive players making money in the middle of the field with a safety.
Oh wait. It’s 2010. Defenses don’t really get away with that kind of stuff anymore.
Tagged Jonathan Goff, New York Giants, New York Giants News, Phillip Dillard |
Giants Prefer Nebraska LB Over Other Fan Favorites
The Giants’ fourth round selection, LB Phillip Dillard of Nebraska, is another rising prospect with great upside.
Our esteemed colleagues at Consensus Draft Services sent us their analysis of this run-stuffing defender…
Played in twelve games in 2009 and started nine. Invited to and participated in both the Senior Bowl and the combine.
Strengths
Versatile LB who can stuff the run and play the pass. Solid instincts, negotiates trash and plays the game inside out. Good hitter and sound tackler. Strong and rugged. Runs better than he times and can play sideline-to-sideline. Closes quickly. Solid athlete who can run downfield in coverage and will break up passes. Solid blitzer.
Weaknesses
Not very tall and probably maxed out physically. Not the fastest or most explosive athlete. Lacks the agility for man coverage in the NFL. Was in the doghouse in ’08, but worked himself out.
Projection
Late-round pick or free agent, but definitely will be in a camp. Given time, could surprise. Good football player.
Tagged 2010 NFL Draft, New York Giants News, Phillip Dillard |
