E-GIANTS
Dave Klein was the Giants' beat writer
for The Star-Ledger from 1961 to 1995.
He is the author of 26 books and he is one of
only four sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls.
Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

THE FEWELL DEFENSIVE MANTRA: GET THE BALL, GET THE TURNOVER

By Dave Klein
ALBANY, N.Y. – The nice thing about the first few days of training camp is that all the players involved, and the coaches as well, are still filled with the highest expectations and the loftiest goals.

Reality hasn't sunk in yet, and while every team’s goal is to play in the Super Bowl, only two of the 32 will actually see that happen to them.

Perry Fewell, the new defensive coordinator who runs all over the field during practice, who high-fives his guys when they knock down a pass, who absolutely loses his mind when there is an interception, has preached to the unit that the be-all and end-all of the intentions he has implanted can be summed up on one word: Turnovers.

"That’s football at its best," he says. "You strike the other side in the heart when you take away the ball. You put your offense in great position. You assert yourselves. The turnover is what defensive football is all about."

Last season, when the Giants embarrassed themselves by losing eight of their last 11 games, they gave the ball away 31 times and created only 24 turnovers of their own. The minus-seven was head coach Tom Coughlin’s lowest in his six years with the team.

"It was demoralizing," said defensive end Justin Tuck. "It’s not how the Giants usually play defense. We need to make plays, to take away the ball, to Demoralize the other team. Coach Fewell has made a point of this; we have to take away the ball. We have a motto: "If you get one [turnover], then get two. If you get two, get three.' Like that. We have to do it because it helps you win."

During the afternoon practice Monday, newly signed veteran linebacker Keith Bulluck picked off a pass and took it into the end zone. Fewell was jubilant, screaming and yelling and jumping around the field, high-fiving invisible people, creating by himself an electric atmosphere among the defense. Newly signed veteran safety Antrel Rolle was a star of the afternoon session, knocking down passes and clearly maintaining the proper position when he was "in the box" against obvious running plays.

He was twice the beneficiary of a Fewell high-five, until near the end of the day when wide receiver Hakeem Nicks cork-screwed him into the ground on a deep route down the middle and made a gorgeous catch that left Rolle on the ground.

Fewell didn't high-five anybody then, nor did he help Rolle to his feet.

Fewell, who was the defensive coordinator in Buffalo last season until he became the interim head coach for the final seven games, teaches and preaches aggressive defense. "Get the ball," he chants, much like a coaching mantra. "Get the ball. Make them pay."

The players are buying into that concept, such as Tuck and weakside linebacker Michael Boley and both Rolle and the other veteran safety signed during the off-season, Deon Grant. "You watch his defense in Buffalo and you can see the ball-hawking," Tuck noted. "It's a way to get turnovers, and to win games, and we are well aware of it."

Boley likes the full-speed-ahead style. “It's so seldom that defensive guys get their hands on the ball,” he says, “it's a special time when they do. We celebrate and jump around and that just raises the excitement to get another one and then another and then another.”

"When the ball is in the air," Boley says, "we assume it's ours. We know how badly the defense needs it and so we do everything possible to get to it. The same for a running back with the ball. Knock it out of his hands, strip it. That ball belongs to us."

Last year's defensive coordinator, Bill Sheridan (now linebackers coach in Miami), had almost no personality and the players were aware that they needed someone with fire and drive. Fewell has all that in incredible amounts, and his high-fiving and screaming on the field -- "I got the block," he shrieked after an interception - tends to generate excitement among the players.

EXTRA POINTS - Coughlin was upset with the team after the morning practice, calling the tempo "not acceptable." ... He strongly suggested that the players work harder, much harder, in the afternoon, and they did. ... "It’s 70 degrees here,” he said, "and it was 95 back home last week. What’s wrong, are they tired from the heat here?"

Center Shaun O'Hara missed practice with a sprained ankle. ... "Most swollen then sprained," Coughlin said. ... The veteran O'Hara was puzzled by the sudden affliction. ... "It felt fine yesterday [Sunday]," he said. "It's going to be okay, I'm sure of it." ... Those who missed the morning workout but participated in the afternoon were Nicks, defensive end Osi Umenyiora, Bulluck and tight end Kevin Boss. … Adam Koets replaced O'Hara early in the afternoon drills but was soon replaced by guard Rich Seubert, the usual starting left guard, while erstwhile left tackle David Diehl moved into the guard spot and second-year Will Beatty took over for him. ... Looked like a sign of the immediate future.

No. 1 draft pick defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul checked in at 280 pounds, not the 270 he is listed as on the roster. ... Free agent fullback Jerome Johnson (6-1, 265) caught everyone's eye in the afternoon with a long run as well as a great catch along the sideline. … Wide receiver Steve Smith made a spectacular catch deep down the sideline. ... Boss made a one-handed grab that drew applause with safety Sha'reff Rashad the victim.

One of the highlights of the afternoon practice, although perhaps not quite so thrilling to the coaches, was Umenyiora chasing running back Brandon Jacobs deep downfield on a running play. ... Both were laughing, but one wonders whether Osi's hip, which will soon need surgery (and it is thought he can “probably” put it off until the season is over) thought it was quick that funny.

NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS - This marks the start of the 14th season of E-GIANTS, and to those who have been with us all along, deep thanks. ... To those who joined more recently, tell your friends.

Check out Dave's website at E-GIANTS where you can subscribe to his newsletters which run much more frequently than what is available here.
- Team Giants

NEW - Send a request to davesklein@aol.com for a free week's worth of news!

Stop in and visit "Mike's Keys to the Internet"
Links to every newspaper and magazine that's available on the net. 

Website by Mike