Harry Carson didn't stop by for a pep talk...

[Tempest]

New York Giants football for so long has been the thunderclap of shoulder pads, belligerent Big Blue Bullies defiantly dictating terms to the offense, their fire fueled by a howling wintry chorus of DEE-FENSE, their domination scripted by the likes of Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick.

 

If you were Jim Brown, Sam Huff would be waiting for you, eager to unleash his brand of violent mayhem. If you were John Riggins, a sculpted block of granite named Harry Carson would be waiting for you. If you were a quarterback, you were one of Lawrence Taylor’s America’s Most Wanted. Or Michael Strahan’s. They wore the uniform with pride. Giants were feared.

 

What the nation witnessed Monday night in the Superdome touched a nerve inside all the old gladiators who carried the torch of tradition with honor.

 

It was, in a word: indefensible.

 

“In watching that game,” Carson said last night, “the two telling things I came away with, is even when the Saints were trying to run the game down, they scored a touchdown. They scored a touchdown! They were trying to run the clock out! And so I saw that and I thought, ‘That’s sad.’ That’s sad that you got a team trying to run the clock out, they’re not trying to score, and you can’t even stop them.

 

“That, and to listen to (analyst Jon) Gruden say, which is basically the truth, that this is a team that is not a playoff-caliber team. Some people might take issue with what he said, but the reality is, they’re not. They’re not a playoff-caliber team. They have to play like champions and not show up one week and not show up the next week.”

 

I asked him what he was thinking watching the Giants play defense against Drew Brees.

 

“It’s hard to watch,” Carson said. “It’s hard to watch. I sorta learned my lesson a couple of years ago when I took issue with the way they were playing defensively. There were guys who took issue with me having anything to say. For the most part, I keep my mouth shut.

 

“The only thing I can say is I’m glad I played during an era where defense was at a premium and guys played with pride. Not that we were great all the time, but we played with heart. And we didn’t just talk about it, we tried to do something about it.”

 

Saints 49, Giants 24.

 

“I sort of get that sense that they’re not respected by other teams,” Carson said. “I think they smile because they don’t feel the same kind of threat that they might feel for other teams.”

 

Hall of Fame Harry referenced DeSean Jackson flipping the ball at Perry Fewell, and I wondered how his Big Blue Wrecking Crew might have responded if Phil Simms had been leveled the way Eli Manning was by Trevor Laws.

 

“Somebody would have been angry, especially guys on the defensive side of the ball,” Carson said. “They would have been [ticked], and they would have wanted an opportunity to go out there and at least retaliate in some way. But it’s a different era.”

 

Captain Carson was stunned that the Giants did not show up angry as promised following the Eagles debacle.

 

“It’s one thing to play on Sunday afternoon,” Carson said. “It’s another thing to play on Sunday night. On Monday night, you’ve got the whole stage to yourself, and you show people what you’re made of on Monday Night Football. And traditionally, the Giants don’t play well on Monday night. But at least you gotta be competitive.”

 

One Giant who has impressed Carson is Jason Pierre-Paul.

 

“JPP has played very well,” Carson said. “I see hustle in him. Other than him and maybe a couple of others, I don’t see that sort of outright hustle that you really have to have as a defensive player. I don’t see it.”

 

He sees poor fundamentals that cause missed tackles and the absence of a pass rush. He didn’t see the extra effort you need to come off blocks and make plays.

 

“Drew Brees beat them like a drum,” Carson said. “Their pride should be really beaten down by what transpired in that game on Monday Night Football.”

 

Talk Is Cheap. Play the Game. “Explode on the field,” Carson said. “Don’t explode with your mouth.”

 

No. 53 was saddened when he turned off his television set.

 

“I felt bad for the organization. You try to put the best team out there, and in essence, what you put out there, it looked competitive prior to the game,” Carson said. “But once the game got started, there was no competition.”

 

Indefensible.

 

 

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/giants/captain_carson_it_hard_to_watch_XfpiU27lQOpUUmsPHuPaNK#ixzz1fGZ1XHEh

 

[Storm]

He's stunned they didn't show up? The defense has been like this since 2008. Not showing up for big games, that is. This isn't a new problem.

 

But he's exactly right. Competitive on paper. The defense lacks fundamentals (most importantly), fire, leadership, pride, and, in some instances talent.

[gmenroc]

I think he was stunned moreso because of the fact the Giants were coming off a tough loss to Philly and still didn't show up. But you're right, this team has been inconsistent for too long.

[boohyah]

He's stunned they didn't show up? The defense has been like this since 2008. Not showing up for big games, that is. This isn't a new problem.

 

But he's exactly right. Competitive on paper. The defense lacks fundamentals (most importantly), fire, leadership, pride, and, in some instances talent.

 

This is what i was trying to say last week. I know you'll say it wasn't there fault, but the defense needed to make a stand on the last drive and they didn't. And they needed to do something against the Saints and they did absolutely nothing.

[Nas]

This is what i was trying to say last week. I know you'll say it wasn't there fault, but the defense needed to make a stand on the last drive and they didn't. And they needed to do something against the Saints and they did absolutely nothing.

 

Fewel has much better personnel under his command than Fox and Spags ever hard... he IS the problem.

[JMFP]

Harry nailed it.

 

Sad, but true. Fans have been seeing (and saying) it for years.

 

This team lost it swagger when Strhana and AP retired....they were the balls behind this defense.

[Nas]

Harry nailed it.

 

Sad, but true. Fans have been seeing (and saying) it for years.

 

This team lost it swagger when Strhana and AP retired....they were the balls behind this defense.

 

Would be nice to have a Ray Lewis in that D. It's funny how the O is holding its own despite most of the high picks being on the Defensive side of the ball.

[boohyah]

Fewel has much better personnel under his command than Fox and Spags ever hard... he IS the problem.

 

 

I said that on my other post. Giants have vested so much more into defense than offense in order to reestablish us as a defensive team and we've done nothing with it, and that has to be on Fewell.

[Nas]

I said that on my other post. Giants have vested so much more into defense than offense in order to reestablish us as a defensive team and we've done nothing with it, and that has to be on Fewell.

 

When the King and the Prince agree, good things happen

[fringe]

Gee Harry, you want to run some tape of your teams before you got some decent LB help?

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

Gee Harry, you want to run some tape of your teams before you got some decent LB help?

 

 

Now you had to go and bring some history into the conversation..... I agree with Harry.... but its a different era and a Giants team 24-25 years removed from him. I don't think too many defensive players are taught hit and wrap up anymore. Its all about the monster stick ...that rarely happens and what....15 yards later someone else tackles him.

[Storm]

This is what i was trying to say last week. I know you'll say it wasn't there fault, but the defense needed to make a stand on the last drive and they didn't. And they needed to do something against the Saints and they did absolutely nothing.

 

No I agree with that, I just think the players need to shoulder a lot of the blame for that. Not Fewell. Just because there are a lot of first round picks on defense, doesn't mean they are necessarily as good as people make them out to be. I just think it's far less talented than people seem to believe.

[Tempest]

The offense found one of its captains some time ago and as for the defense I believe the search continues. Right now it is Tuck and ?. That just brings us right back to finding a linebacker.

 

Would be nice to have a Ray Lewis in that D. It's funny how the O is holding its own despite most of the high picks being on the Defensive side of the ball.

[fringe]

Now you had to go and bring some history into the conversation..... I agree with Harry.... but its a different era and a Giants team 24-25 years removed from him. I don't think too many defensive players are taught hit and wrap up anymore. Its all about the monster stick ...that rarely happens and what....15 yards later someone else tackles him.

 

i just think people who played the game need to add some kind of disclaimer like- god knows i lived thru some terrible seasons.....

it's so frustrating that LB-ing- a Giants stronghold could have gone this bad for this long. there's no identity to this team.

[boohyah]

No I agree with that, I just think the players need to shoulder a lot of the blame for that. Not Fewell. Just because there are a lot of first round picks on defense, doesn't mean they are necessarily as good as people make them out to be. I just think it's far less talented than people seem to believe.

 

You are correct that 1st round picks don't mean they are all that. But they are not all that bad. It's just the idea that this is the direction the team wanted to take and we don't seem to have the leader to do it.