The Fewell Tampa Two

Perry Fewell spoke and said he would be running the Tampa Two.

In February, we speculated that he would bring in the Tampa Two.  We also noted that if he brought it in the Giants would likely be drafting a defensive lineman with the first pick.

This defense was invented by Tony Dungy when he was the Head Coach of the Bucs. I am kind of confused and disappointed, as this is a “prevent defense.” The Colts use it, the Vikings use it and a couple of other teams use it.

It is important to note that this defense, which relies on the back seven to do the job, requires a “certain” type of player(s) to give it a chance to work. It is NOTHING like the defense that Spags ran or that most NFL teams run.  The defense requires a “Mike” who can really run and cover, as he must stop any short pass over the middle plus make tackles. There aren’t many guys who can do that well.

Gerris Wilkinson is the guy Fewell wants there.  As Andy said this past weekend, I am afraid that so far there is no reason to believe that Wilkinson can handle the job.

The front four is responsible to pressure and get to the quarterback.  They also MUST stop the run.  All I can say is that the first two picks BETTER play a lot and the better play well. We do not have the personnel to play this defense and Coughlin doesn’t play rookies.  The secondary has a lot of talent if Phillips plays and we avoid injury. The problem is that there is NO evidence that the Giants can tackle.

Steve Spagnuolo had a plan. He had players to design a defense that was based on pressure to overwhelm the opponent.  It worked, no one could defend it and it got us a ring.  Fewell’s Tampa Two better have a lot of wrinkles and the guys better buy in quick or we will be challenged to be competitive.

The biggest concern is who plays the “Mike”?  No one stopped the short stuff last year.   Linebackers are not the strength of this team and they will be called upon to step up.  With Gerris Wilkinson slotted as the starter and zero depth behind him, this is a question mark.  Fewell came in and said he would evaluate the players and put in a system that worked to their strengths.  The selection of the Tampa Two does not do that with the Giants mediocre linebackers.  Add that the Tampa 2 does not work in today’s NFL, where pressure is a necessity against any QB worth his salt, and the Giants will have a defense which is fatally flawed against the better teams.