Beatty Could Give Giants a New Look and Feel

[Mr. P]

 

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—If William Beatty is to displace David Diehl and become the Giants' left tackle, it won't be Mr. Diehl he's unseating. It will be Rich Seubert.

 

Mr. Diehl will move to left guard and Mr. Seubert, the Giants' longest-tenured player and the ostensible left guard, will move out of the starting lineup.

 

Which is exactly what the Giants envisioned when they drafted Mr. Beatty in the second round last spring. The move would make the Giants' offensive line younger and more athletic and could radically alter a key part of what's made this unit so bruising: its personality.

 

As the Giants closed their mandatory minicamp this week and set off for a month's break before the Aug. 1 opening of training camp, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride made clear this upcoming position battle—the first legitimate one on a line whose five parts cleared the way for two 1,000-yard rushers in 2008—will put more than athleticism in relief.

 

Upending Mr. Seubert, Mr. Gilbride said, means "you're beating out a guy that's maybe the heart and soul of your offensive group. Richie kind of embodies everything that you want in an offensive lineman," he said. "And he's going to give me hell now because I'm talking about him."

 

Giving hell is Mr. Seubert's specialty. He interrupted an interview a tight end was giving this week with, "He's a tight end, it's not that hard. I played it in college."

 

He holds court wherever he is. There's not a scrum he can't find and he's the self-appointed arbiter of rookie nicknames, choosing some sweet, like "Sparky" for undrafted diminutive wideout Tim Brown, and some unprintable, like the one for fifth-round guard Mitch Petrus.

 

The 25-year old Mr. Beatty, meanwhile, is a more cerebral sort, with a pastor for a mother and a demeanor as quiet as Mr. Seubert's is demonstrative and vocal.

 

Mr. Beatty was pressed into action a year ago, when right tackle Kareem McKenzie was hurt, playing both sides and teasing the coaches with his potential. His moves weren't always fluid though, he says, and he came into this spring's practices knowing expectations were higher. He didn't disappoint.

 

Coach Tom Coughlin said, "I like what I have seen," praising Mr. Beatty's increases in size and strength, and his facility with on-field assignments. Mr. Gilbride stressed the "really" in saying Mr. Beatty played really well this minicamp,and the 6-foot-6, 307-pound Mr. Beatty softly admitted he has a different confidence this year.

 

"I'm having a lot more fun," he said. "I'm not freaking out, 'Am I going to get this play right?'"

 

The more plays he gets right this summer, the more likely it is he relegates Mr. Seubert to a "utility" lineman, one plugged in where needed.

 

Of course, the shaggy-haired, bearded Mr. Seubert isn't a man who goes quietly anywhere. He praises Mr. Beatty's growth and he says it's his job to help the younger player one day surpass him, just as the older Giants did for him years ago. It's just not that day yet, he says.

 

"This is my 10th season and for 10 seasons people have been saying it's not my spot," Mr. Seubert said. "It doesn't bother me. I know what I can do. I know that if I work hard enough, I'll be back out there."

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704122904575314942505658052.html

[Nas]

Gotta love Rich. Great attitude and a great teammate.

[Treehugger]

Giving hell is Mr. Seubert's specialty. He interrupted an interview a tight end was giving this week with, "He's a tight end, it's not that hard. I played it in college."

 

[JackStroud]

I don't know what happened to the "the best offensive line in the NFL" but something sure did

 

They were not horrible (like the D) but they lost a step on run blocking

 

Beatty looked good but I think McKenzie is the guy who needs to sit, not Seubert.....something is wrong with McKenzie

I'm not sure what........perhaps he was nicked up

[Treehugger]

Hedgecock wasn't great either. Was he one of the many walking wounded?

[JMFP]

Hedgecock wasn't great either. Was he one of the many walking wounded?

 

Hedgecock is the one Giant that cannot be replaced.

 

Nobody else can execute the devastating "Hedgecock Swing Pass."

[Treehugger]

Hedgecock is the one Giant that cannot be replaced.

 

Nobody else can execute the devastating "Hedgecock Swing Pass."

It is devastating, just not to our opponents.

[fishgutmartyr]

Hedgecock had shoulder problems. MacKenzie was also injured. Come to think of it, so was Seubert.

[JackStroud]

It is devastating, just not to our opponents.

 

we will keep using the hedgecock swing pass until we complete one

 

its devastating

[BIGBLUE01]

Hedgecock is the one Giant that cannot be replaced.

 

Nobody else can execute the devastating "Hedgecock Swing Pass."

Remember the "Comella flip"?

[fringe]

Remember the "Comella flip"?

 

he was a great tight end.

[Tempest]

I'd rather keep Diehl where he is and move out McKenzie

[JMFP]

Remember the "Comella flip"?

 

Oh yeah.....flush with the success of the Comella flip, the playbook evolved into the Hedgecock Swing Pass.....they wanted something with a higher incompletion rate.

[Nas]

I'd rather keep Diehl where he is and move out McKenzie

 

Diehl is much more effect at Guard.

[Treehugger]

Diehl is much more effect at Guard.

Why do you think that? He's done a great job at LT IMO, far better than Pettigout the Penalty Machine before him. I know he started off at Guard but we didn't see anything of him there which suggested the shift to LT was holding his play back. Granted, he may be an upgrade at the position over an aging Seubert, but I too would rather see MacKenzie moved than Diehl.

[Gman329]

Remember the "Comella flip"?

 

 

Only time that play ever worked was in the NFC Championship Game, against the Vikings. Already up 7-0 on a 40 yarder to Hilliard, Vikes fumble the kickoff and Comella catches that little wheel route in the end zone. When that play works, you just KNOW you're going to win 41-0!!!

[JackStroud]

Why do you think that? He's done a great job at LT IMO, far better than Pettigout the Penalty Machine before him. I know he started off at Guard but we didn't see anything of him there which suggested the shift to LT was holding his play back. Granted, he may be an upgrade at the position over an aging Seubert, but I too would rather see MacKenzie moved than Diehl.

 

Agreed McKenzie was no more than a journeyman pick up who looked good as the rest of the Jets line was awful

 

Jets have done a fantastic job of rebuilding their O-line and McKenzie leaving seemed to be the catalyst for change

[BIGBLUE01]

Only time that play ever worked was in the NFC Championship Game, against the Vikings. Already up 7-0 on a 40 yarder to Hilliard, Vikes fumble the kickoff and Comella catches that little wheel route in the end zone. When that play works, you just KNOW you're going to win 41-0!!!

 

Very true! lol Although very ineffective, it was so much fun to watch.

[Treehugger]

Agreed McKenzie was no more than a journeyman pick up who looked good as the rest of the Jets line was awful

 

Jets have done a fantastic job of rebuilding their O-line and McKenzie leaving seemed to be the catalyst for change

I don't think he's been bad, just not better than Seubert. Maybe I'm missing something?

[BlueInCanada]

Agreed McKenzie was no more than a journeyman pick up who looked good as the rest of the Jets line was awful

 

Jets have done a fantastic job of rebuilding their O-line and McKenzie leaving seemed to be the catalyst for change

 

Jets O-line stats.

2001(McKenzie's rookie year)..................Sacks: 19, Rushing: 2054, Passing: 2741

2002.......................................................Sacks: 34, Rushing: 1618, Passing: 3418

2003...................................................... Sacks: 31, Rushing: 1635, Passing: 3316

2004(last year Mckenzie was there...........)Sacks: 31, Rushing: 2388, Passing: 3050

2005(after Mchenzie left)........................ Sacks: 53, Rushing: 1328, Passing: 2642

2006...................................................... Sacks: 34, Rushing: 1738, Passing: 3153

2007...................................................... Sacks: 53, Rushing: 1701, Passing: 3014

2008...................................................... Sacks: 30, Rushing: 2004, Passing: 3303

2009...................................................... Sacks: 30, Rushing: 2756, Passing: 2380

 

If anything the Jets declines in O-line play after McKenzie left and their passing game took a hit while their running game stayed fairly similar. If you knew anything the Jets tried desperately to re-sign McKenzie one of their top players lost in the 2004 season. It wasn't until the last two years that the Jets were able to recover but that was after drafting D'Brick in '06 and signing Alan Faneca in '08. Not to mention since his signing with the Giants our running game has average 2000+ yards rushing a year and holding opponent teams to under 30 sacks, of course 2009 was the oddity. The game has passed McKenzie by however to say he was a "journeyman" is idiotic, he was a key player on the Jets team and is a key player on the Giants O-line.

[Mr. P]

how is a guy who only played for one team prior to the giants gonna be a "journeyman"?

[Treehugger]

how is a guy who only played for one team prior to the giants gonna be a "journeyman"?

He didn't even have to move house!

[GorillaNJ]

I thought McKenzie has been a solid player... not a world beater but he rarely got penalties and never was really toasted

[Tempest]

Main concern with McKenzie is his health. Last season he had knee problems, year before that it was back spasms. He's not getting younger or cheaper.

 

McKenzie was a great pickup when we snatched him in free agency from the Jets.

[Nas]

Why do you think that?

 

Because I keep hearing it.. so it must be true