Giants Use Versatility to Gain and Edge

[BleedinBlue]

I think I have figured out Couch Coughlin's strategy to make the Giants a solid defensive team year after year. If you take a look at the players that have been groomed and the players the Giants draft, it becomes obvious that TC likes players who are versatile....ie., can play more than one position. Since injuries are just part of the game, it allows flexibility to adjust without losing a step. Just take a look at the number of players who can move from one spot to another without a hitch.

 

David Diehl - OLT or OLG

Justin Tuck - DE or DT

Mathias Kiwanuka - LB or DE

Renaldo Wynn - DE or DT

Kenny Phillips - SS or FS

Terrell Thomas - CB or FS

Bryan Kehl - LB (Sam or Will)

Jonathan Goff - LB (plays Mike, but can also play Sam or Will)

Gerris Wilkinson - LB (played Sam last year, but is a career Mike)

 

 

Of course, the youngsters aren't ready to start at different positions yet, but they are being groomed to do so.

 

I don't think there's another team in the NFL with this kind of versatility. Almost every other team has players dedicated to one position and one position only. If someone goes down, they have to use a backup dedicated to that position rather than keeping the best players on the team on the field.

 

Anyway, I have to believe that plaryer versatility is a big part of TC's and Spags strategy.

 

Am I out to lunch on this one, or do you other guys agree that this is a strategy and that it's new to the NFL?

 

[CrazedDogs]

I think I have figured out Couch Coughlin's strategy to make the Giants a solid defensive team year after year. If you take a look at the players that have been groomed and the players the Giants draft, it becomes obvious that TC likes players who are versatile....ie., can play more than one position. Since injuries are just part of the game, it allows flexibility to adjust without losing a step. Just take a look at the number of players who can move from one spot to another without a hitch.

 

David Diehl - OLT or OLG

Justin Tuck - DE or DT

Mathias Kiwanuka - LB or DE

Renaldo Wynn - DE or DT

Kenny Phillips - SS or FS

Terrell Thomas - CB or FS

Bryan Kehl - LB (Sam or Will)

Jonathan Goff - LB (plays Mike, but can also play Sam or Will)

Gerris Wilkinson - LB (played Sam last year, but is a career Mike)

 

 

Of course, the youngsters aren't ready to start at different positions yet, but they are being groomed to do so.

 

I don't think there's another team in the NFL with this kind of versatility. Almost every other team has players dedicated to one position and one position only. If someone goes down, they have to use a backup dedicated to that position rather than keeping the best players on the team on the field.

 

Anyway, I have to believe that plaryer versatility is a big part of TC's and Spags strategy.

 

Am I out to lunch on this one, or do you other guys agree that this is a strategy and that it's new to the NFL?

 

I'm not sure if thats Coughlin's strategy or Reese's, but I think you're right, and I think they're on to something.

 

Although, I think a lot of teams have some flexibility at LB. I (unfortunately) get to watch a lot of the Bengals, and they play their DE at LB sometimes, just like we do with Kiwi, and move the other LBs around to other positions. But...they're the Bengals, so you know how that turns out.