New York Giants Notebook | The Student Professor, "Kaizen!", Jamal Respects the Giants and More
Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams wasn't reluctant to share credit with one of his teammates last week who helped Williams, the current NFC Defensive Player of the Week honoree, have a big day.
That would be Dalvin Tomlinson, a player who doesn't get a lot of mention but whose contribution to the Giants defense has been invaluable.
Tomlinson, recently announced as the Giants' Walter Payton of the Man Award nominee, has been silently doing the dirty work inside that has allowed his teammates to thrive.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who coached Tomlinson in his rookie season--Graham was the team's defensive line coach back then--was bursting with pride over Tomlinson's growth and maturation as a player and as a man.
"In terms of what he does on and off the field, having a relationship with him. I just think that he’s a genuine person. He’s one of those people that you become a better person, a better player, being around him. You can see that," Graham said.
"Where that D-line is going right as they go through this process is a direct correlation to his leadership and what he does on that field, regardless of what statistics or what have you. He’s teaching them how to use their hands properly. He’s teaching them about the right attitude playing upfront.
Graham compared where Tomlinson is now to a student about to take the exam for the Master's title so he can teach others how to play the game the right way.
"You can see the maturation process occur, and it’s a beautiful thing to see," Graham said. "You see one of your students doing well, and you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s pretty cool.’
"He’s a technician--he’s always been a technician but now you’re seeing again how he’s just improving as he has over the years. He’s ready to take his exams to get his own masters."
Struggling Special Teams Mantra: Kaizen
it's been a tough two week stretch for the Giants special teams, who very nearly cost the Giants their last two wins thanks to breakdowns.
But Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey usually laid back on calls with reporters, offered a bit more fire in his response when he was asked about the unit's struggles and what they were doing to eliminate them.
"Our mantra in our room is “kaizen” and that’s the act of continuous improvement," McGaughey said. "We’re not making excuses; we’re just going to make adjustments.
"That’s the thing, it’s all about trying to get better. It’s all about fine tuning the little details and that’s the same thing I told the players: 'It ain’t what you’re going through, it’s what you’re growing through.'"
Last week, the Giants had a blocked punt that was nearly recovered for a touchdown in the end zone by the Seahawks, who fortunately weren't able to control the ball before it went out of the back of the end zone.
Then on punter Riley Dixon's ensuing free-kick, the coverage team gave up a big return.
Even the usually dependable Graham Gano got into the act, missing a PAT.
This week, McGaughey said he's looking to see how his units respond to their two-week skid and how they work to get out of it.
"When you hit hard times, you hit some rough times, how are you going to bounce back? What are you going to do? I use the phrase that I used when I was growing up, 'Are you going to box or throw rocks?'
"That’s what we’re finding out right now as a group and as a unit. ... We’re going to keep fighting, we’re going to keep working every day. We’re going to go out today, we’re going to work to get better."
Not Again?!
Last week, Giants head coach Joe Judge lost a bet with tight end Evan Engram in which Judge had to wear a bucket hat and a pullover sweatshirt emblazoned with the Ole Miss logos.
This week, Judge was sporting a Don Bosco Prep sweatshirt when he spoke to the media, causing some to wonder if he lost another bet, this time to safety Jabrill Peppers, who attended the school before transferring to Paramus Catholic.
It turns out Judge had another reason for wearing the Don Bosco Prep shirt: his son attends the northern New Jersey school.
"I pay enough for that high school for my son," Judge quipped.
Jamal Adams Respects the Giants
Seattle Seahawks safety has only played the Giants a couple of times in his career, both times proving to be a thorn in the Giants side.
But Adams, who is the son of one-time Giants running back George Adams, recently admitted to having a bit of a soft spot in his heart for the franchise that took a chance on his dad back in the 1980s.
“A lot of respect to the Giants organization. It’s always been like that for me, obviously, due to my father," The safety said during an interview on SiriusXM's UNINTERRUPTED '17 Weeks' Podcast.
Adams, who also played against the Giants last year when he was with the Jets, likes what he's seen from the Giants and from head coach Joe Judge, who appears to have the team finally headed in the right direction after hitting rock bottom not long after their 2011 Super Bowl Championship season.
"Coach Judge--I didn’t get to holler at him after the game, but I got a lot of respect for him and what he’s doing over there," Adams said. "They’ve always had talent. They just needed the right coaching staff to come in there and get their identity back. And they got that, man.
"I got a lot of respect for how they play, how hard they play, how physical they play. ... always have.”
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