Know Your Enemy: Broncos Must Beware Giants LB Blake Martinez
With the Denver Broncos getting ready to kick off the season on Sunday, the New York Gians present some players that can be problematic. Focusing on the defensive side of the ball, the Giants had a rather good defense last year that ranked them top-12 in multiple categories.
The weak spot was New York's run defense, and the team made moves to get a better result. The lifeblood of the Giants' defense comes from its linebacker corps and Blake Martinez in particular.
Martinez is probably one of the most underrated defenders in the NFL, and especially among linebackers. He is the type of player that can create turnovers and handle tight ends or running backs in coverage.
This can be particularly problematic for Denver with Noah Fant nursing a leg injury. Martinez was a top-10 coverage linebacker last year, and his comfort in the scheme is only growing. While he did allow 74.6% of targets his way to be completed, that is the third-lowest among linebackers with at least 543 coverage snaps.
Part of what makes Martinez so good in coverage is how little yardage he gives up after the catch. Most of the time, a pass is completed, and he is right there to bring the receiver down.
Martinez is very instinctive, and while Fant can be a mismatch athletically, the tight end's injured leg, and the instincts of Martinez, should make for a tough matchup.
As for Martinez's run defense, he wasn't the problem for the Giants. He actually had the seventh-highest run-stop percentage last season according to Pro Football Focus. His average depth of tackle was four yards, making it clear that New York's biggest culprit against the run was the defensive line. He flies to the ball quickly and is rarely caught out of position against the run or even in coverage.
The Giants have a very capable linebacker in Martinez, and if the Broncos aren't careful, he can cause a lot of problems. This is the type of defender you prepare for and have a plan against. Hopefully, the Broncos' plan to account for Martinez is effective, otherwise, it could be a long day for the offense.
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