Puzzled but Positive, Giants Learn Offense That Has Shades of Green Bay

[Tempest]

http://Puzzled but Positive, Giants Learn Offense That Has Shades of Green Bay

 

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — For 10 years, the Giants’ offensive system was largely unchanged, as familiar to the team’s fans as their work commutes — and, in the end, about as beloved.

But after the smoldering wreck of the 2013 season had ground to a halt, the co-owner John Mara announced that the offense was “broken.” The word was probably not chosen arbitrarily. Something broken must be rebuilt, perhaps with different parts and a fresh design. In the off-season, the Giants acquired at least five new offensive starters. This week, those players and the returning Giants have gotten their first look at the remodeled offense installed by the new coordinator, Ben McAdoo, who came from the Green Bay Packers.

While the early reviews are based solely on classroom tutelage, there is no doubt the Giants’ offensive unit is in for a considerable philosophical and physical shock.

“My mind’s swimming right now,” said quarterback Eli Manning, who as a lifer in the game is not accustomed to being perplexed in a football setting. Chris Snee, the 11th-year guard, said: “We’re all trying to wrap our heads around it. The terminology itself is like learning a new language.” It is much more than mental preparation. The Giants’ offense will appear fundamentally altered. The concepts about what makes a running play successful will be transformed. So will the blocking schemes. On pass plays, the ball will come out of the pocket more quickly. The communication between the quarterback and his receivers — the pivot to considerable success and ample failure in the old offense — is being dismantled and remade. Some iteration of a West Coast offense, or at least a portion of it in the image of the Packers, is coming to the land of Big Blue, a jolt to a traditional franchise that may have needed a thunderbolt of innovation.

Most tellingly, Manning called it “Coach McAdoo’s offense.” The schemes will not emanate in the office of Coach Tom Coughlin, an offense-minded coach since the 1970s. It is also not Manning’s offense; he said he had no input so far. It is a Giants leap of faith. But so far, the players seem energized by it. “I think it will be good for all of us,” said Rueben Randle, who is projected as the No. 2 wide receiver, behind Victor Cruz, now that Hakeem Nicks has joined the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent. “It will cut down on the mistakes in communication.”

Randle was frequently at the heart of the disconnect with Manning in 2013. The offense run by the longtime coordinator Kevin Gilbride relied on nuance and nonverbal interplay between Manning and the receivers, who often talked about learning to “see what Eli sees,” as well as thinking in tandem with the quarterback. The approach produced two Super Bowl victories. It also contributed significantly to Manning’s career-high 27 interceptions last year. But McAdoo is not planning to rely on cosmic communication between Manning and his receivers.

“Your route is your route,” Cruz said. “You can dictate that off the coverage and you know what you have, and Eli can find you within different holes in the secondary.

“But it’s a lot less dependent on what my body language is and Eli reading that,” he added. “It’s more about him reading the coverage and finding me in those open holes.”

Players did not describe the system as simpler but said it was perhaps easier to operate and faster-paced. The Packers were a common reference point. “It will be similar to what they did in Green Bay,” Manning said. “I’ve never been in a West Coast offense, so I don’t know if this is exactly West Coast or a form of it. It probably has some tendencies to it.”

Cruz agreed. “It will be similar to Green Bay,” he said. “It’s a lot of the same types of plays, a lot of the same types of routes, things of that nature. I’m excited by it. If anybody watches Green Bay, they know they score a lot of points and get up and down the field quickly and put up a lot of big plays. So we’re excited about that.” In the past two seasons, the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers has thrown for 56 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions.

With Nicks gone, Cruz may also develop a new role. He has made his name as a slot receiver, but he is looking forward to lining up more often on the outside of the formation. “I feel I can play inside or outside and play both positions very well,” Cruz said. “I think that’s where I’m going to be utilized, kind of all over the field. It will be wherever I can get the ball the most.” It is a new world for the Giants in multiple ways. Eleven years ago, when they were last required to learn an offensive system, they flipped through a thick playbook. Now, many of McAdoo’s schemes and plans have been loaded into hand-held, team-issued digital devices. “Still like going back to school,” running back David Wilson said. “Everybody has their head down studying.”

[Sephiroth]

[BleedinBlue]

My favorite line in the whole article: "The Giants' offense will appear fundamentally altered. The concepts about what makes a running play successful will be transformed.

 

I like the whole article, but if we can get a running game back, we can go far.

[Nas]

I think we are in for some growing pains... Eli didn't seem upbeat either... My guess is the 10 yr vet had gotten too comfortable in a broken/boring system ... But it's a change that needs to happen.

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

More like this... ... has been answered... Loved how they keep avoiding the phrase "its a lot simpler than Saint Gilbride's Offense..."

[gmenroc]

More like this... ... has been answered... Loved how they keep avoiding the phrase "its a lot simpler than Saint Gilbride's Offense..."

 

Two things...first, no need to throw a guy who helped get two SB rings for the Giants under the bus...and also, no need to state what everyone already knows.

[Sephiroth]

Just imagine... an offensive coordinator that realizes when your line sucks, you take the 7-step drops out of your game... before week 8!

[JMFP]

"Your route is your route".

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv_E8eBbaOs

[Mr. P]

“Your route is your route,” Cruz said. “You can dictate that off the coverage and you know what you have, and Eli can find you within different holes in the secondary.

“But it’s a lot less dependent on what my body language is and Eli reading that,” he added. “It’s more about him reading the coverage and finding me in those open holes.”

So your route is your route, but then says you can dictate it off the coverage, "different holes".

Seems a little contradictive.

[BlueInCanada]

 

“Your route is your route,” Cruz said. “You can dictate that off the coverage and you know what you have, and Eli can find you within different holes in the secondary.

“But it’s a lot less dependent on what my body language is and Eli reading that,” he added. “It’s more about him reading the coverage and finding me in those open holes.”

So your route is your route, but then says you can dictate it off the coverage, "different holes".

Seems a little contradictive.

 

 

Wasnt that essentially the same thing GIlly had?

 

 

 

“It’s more about him reading the coverage and finding me in those open holes.”

 

Hasnt this been the problem for the last few years Eli and the WRs not on the same page about where all these open holes were?

[Mr. P]

 

Wasnt that essentially the same thing GIlly had?

 

 

Hasnt this been the problem for the last few years Eli and the WRs not on the same page about where all these open holes were?

 

 

 

yeah so I'm not seeing how it's different and getting all this praise, especially from these quotes.

[GA4M]

Seriously, If you're getting paid millions of dollars to play this game, then get it down. these guys act like it's a bother to them and they have a regular job to go to after the game. This is all you do, people!

[fishgutmartyr]

I'll be honest, Manning's quote scares the shit out of me.

 

But since these plays haven't even been run in a practice, and there's no cool pictures of Buddy Ryan punching McAdoo, I suppose I can withhold judgement.

[Balloonknot]

The way I read that is. The route stays the same. But based on coverage Eli can change the route or depending on coverage knows where the holes will be. So Eli knows what route the receiver is running. Reads the coverage and knows where the hole will be and throws to that spot.

[BleedinBlue]

It will help like crazy if Eli has more than 1.7 seconds to get rid of the ball. A route that takes 2.9 seconds...or even 2.3 seconds doesn't do much good if when the WR cuts back, Eli is already on the ground with turf sticking out of his face mask....or worse, throwing early off his heels for an interception.

 

Protect Eli for more than a couple seconds and the magic will return.