Put Up or Shut Up: Giants DC Shane Bowen Issues Challenge to His Unit

The New York Giants defense has been a joy for defensive coordinator Shane Bowen to watch develop in its infancy, but now it’s time for the group to show growth.

That’s the challenge put forth by Bowen, hired to replace Wink Martindale. Bowen spent his early weeks on the job working with the staff, studying the players they had, and figuring out ways to put them in the best position to be successful moving forward.

After going through the install periods during phases 2 and 3 of the off-season program, Bowen is anxious to see the next step in the unit’s development.

“New is over,” he said. “I told the guys this morning, ‘I don't want to hear new no more. It's not new anymore.’ We are still figuring it out, and we’re learning every single day. It's been great work this spring seeing things, but the Giants' defense will continue to evolve based on our personnel and what our guys do best.”

To that end, Bowen issued a challenge to his players, who will reconvene in six weeks for the start of training camp on July 24.

“We need guys to start separating themselves," he said. "Maybe not the first week in training camp, but as we get going those first few weeks in training camp, we’ve got to start defining roles. I want to see guys take opportunities, grab them, and start to pull away. It's the NFL. Like everybody has to earn it. Go do it."

East Rutherford, NJ -- New York Giants Defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence II and Rakeem Nunez-Roches at Mandatory Minicamp at their practice facility in East Rutherford, NJ. | Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA

Bowen said he’s started to see some of that growth and forwardness take place over the last few weeks, which gives him optimism about the team's direction.

“Yeah, I think there has been a lot of growth with their understanding of what we're asking them to do. As a coaching staff, coming together, collaborating, figuring out how we want to play things,” he said.

“As time has passed and guys get an understanding of my expectations and my standard and what I'm looking for from certain things, they gradually learn, and it gradually increases their ability to go out there and do it right, and for coaches to teach it.”

Under Bowen's direction, the Giants defense will look very different. The most notable changes will include more zone coverage over man coverage and more emphasis on getting to the quarterback with the front seven rather than dialing up fancy blitzes as was Martindale's way.

If that sounds like the Giants defense will be less aggressive this year, Bowen assured people that won’t be the case.

“I think there is a fine line between being schematically aggressive and being play style aggressive,” Bowen said. “Like the play style ain't going to change. We're going to be physical; we’re going to be tough. We’ve got a high standard for that.

“There is a lot of aggressiveness outside of scheme as it relates to defensive football. Then, with the scheme, we'll see.”

Bowen said he’s still getting a feel for what he has, but the last several weeks spent with his unit have helped clarify the picture moving forward.

“It's been good this spring. I feel like we've taken some big strides,” he said. “Six weeks from now, we got to come back ready to roll. The clock is ticking. Again, it's not new anymore. It's the Giants defense.

“We’ve got to be able to take the next step in the teaching progression, take the things from the meetings to the walk-through to the field, and ultimately, when they start playing these other opponents, how our scheme and game plan is going to adjust according to personnel.”