Let me start by saying that NFL network is the greatest thing since the discovery of fire :IBTL: Nothing like sitting back on a Saturday afternoon and reviewing game films in HD with rewind and pause.
Anyway, this is what I learned from this game:
Justin Tuck was not a mirage last season. This guy blows people up on his way to the ball.
Mathias Kiwanuka looks great and seems to be very comfortable playing from a 2 point stance. He looks capable of 60-65 tackles and 8-9 sacks, but there is a concern. Danny Clark joined Antonio Pierce in the nickel with Kiwanuka taking a seat. I have to think that in most cases the club will find a way to keep him on the field as a pass rusher, but you never know. If he doesn't play in those situations his numbers will take a significant hit.
Michael Johnson and James Butler got the start at free and strong safety respectively. Butler didn't look bad but neither was he a stand out. He played into the second quarter before Sammy Knight replaced him. Knight was his usual self. Not flashy but near the ball often and never out of position. He finished with 3 tackles while Butler had 2.
Don't expect Johnson to remain the starter for long. He played the entire first half and was far from impressive. Johnson missed a tackle for a TD early in the game, was not very physical in general, was slow to react at times and finished at 1-1. New York opened the second half with Phillips at free and Knight at strong safety. The first play was an incomplete pass. The next 2 were solid tackles for minimal gain by Phillips, who finished with a game high 6-2. This kid looked VERY good. He was flying around making some big hits, taking guys down in the open field and just plain beating people to the ball. He may not be the official starter yet but don't let that scare you away.
Clark may be solidifying himself as the starter on the weak side. Gerris Wilkinson remains out with an injury and Clark is taking advantage of it. He's not exactly the proto-type WLB but then the Giants have not had that kind of player at WLB for a few years. Brandon Short and Kawika Mitchell have played that position for the past couple of years and both of them were transplanted SLB/MLBs. If he continues to hold a job in the nickel package, Clark could have a little value.
The first thing I want to say about the Lions is, keep an eye on Buster Davis. Yes I know he has been bounced around and written off for the most part, but the Lions have been telling us that he has played well and I saw what they were talking about in this game. Paris Lenon got the start in the middle and was his usual average self. When Davis came in you could see a difference. He was very physical and made a couple of nice hits in his first series. Davis was the Lions second leading tackler in the game at 3-1 before giving way to Jordon Dizon who was surprisingly the #3 MLB.
Dizon didn't look very good/comfortable. He made one very nice play when he slid outside the tackle and put a big pop on Bradshaw, but several times he took a false step, was tentative or just plain late to the ball. The play on Bradshaw showed us why he was drafted so high but it may take longer than we thought for him to make an impact. Especially if Davis keeps playing so well.
Leigh Bodden didn't play long enough for me to get a fix on what his production will be like. He made one tackle that didn't show up in the box scores and was run over when he bounced off Kevin Boss who went for several more yards. Call it a gut feeling but I don't see him with the kind of production he had last season.
Brian Kelly got the start at corner opposite Bodden. The only impression he made was when big Brandon Jacobs faked him out of his jock when Kelly came up to support the run on one play.
Anthony Cannon replaced Ernie Sims who sat out with a sore knee and Alex Lewis got the start on the strong side.
Cliff Avril didn't record a sack but he got some pressure on the QB while working with the 2s. The Lions starting ends were very quiet.
Rookie tackle Andre Fluellen was 2-0-1 and looked pretty good considering who he was working against. Redding sat out so Shaun Cody and Chuck Darby were the starters. Cody has been a disappointment and didn't give me any reason to believe that will change.
I'm off to watch another game on the DVR. Did I mention that NFL Network is the best thing since the invention of Beer?
Anyway, this is what I learned from this game:
Justin Tuck was not a mirage last season. This guy blows people up on his way to the ball.
Mathias Kiwanuka looks great and seems to be very comfortable playing from a 2 point stance. He looks capable of 60-65 tackles and 8-9 sacks, but there is a concern. Danny Clark joined Antonio Pierce in the nickel with Kiwanuka taking a seat. I have to think that in most cases the club will find a way to keep him on the field as a pass rusher, but you never know. If he doesn't play in those situations his numbers will take a significant hit.
Michael Johnson and James Butler got the start at free and strong safety respectively. Butler didn't look bad but neither was he a stand out. He played into the second quarter before Sammy Knight replaced him. Knight was his usual self. Not flashy but near the ball often and never out of position. He finished with 3 tackles while Butler had 2.
Don't expect Johnson to remain the starter for long. He played the entire first half and was far from impressive. Johnson missed a tackle for a TD early in the game, was not very physical in general, was slow to react at times and finished at 1-1. New York opened the second half with Phillips at free and Knight at strong safety. The first play was an incomplete pass. The next 2 were solid tackles for minimal gain by Phillips, who finished with a game high 6-2. This kid looked VERY good. He was flying around making some big hits, taking guys down in the open field and just plain beating people to the ball. He may not be the official starter yet but don't let that scare you away.
Clark may be solidifying himself as the starter on the weak side. Gerris Wilkinson remains out with an injury and Clark is taking advantage of it. He's not exactly the proto-type WLB but then the Giants have not had that kind of player at WLB for a few years. Brandon Short and Kawika Mitchell have played that position for the past couple of years and both of them were transplanted SLB/MLBs. If he continues to hold a job in the nickel package, Clark could have a little value.
The first thing I want to say about the Lions is, keep an eye on Buster Davis. Yes I know he has been bounced around and written off for the most part, but the Lions have been telling us that he has played well and I saw what they were talking about in this game. Paris Lenon got the start in the middle and was his usual average self. When Davis came in you could see a difference. He was very physical and made a couple of nice hits in his first series. Davis was the Lions second leading tackler in the game at 3-1 before giving way to Jordon Dizon who was surprisingly the #3 MLB.
Dizon didn't look very good/comfortable. He made one very nice play when he slid outside the tackle and put a big pop on Bradshaw, but several times he took a false step, was tentative or just plain late to the ball. The play on Bradshaw showed us why he was drafted so high but it may take longer than we thought for him to make an impact. Especially if Davis keeps playing so well.
Leigh Bodden didn't play long enough for me to get a fix on what his production will be like. He made one tackle that didn't show up in the box scores and was run over when he bounced off Kevin Boss who went for several more yards. Call it a gut feeling but I don't see him with the kind of production he had last season.
Brian Kelly got the start at corner opposite Bodden. The only impression he made was when big Brandon Jacobs faked him out of his jock when Kelly came up to support the run on one play.
Anthony Cannon replaced Ernie Sims who sat out with a sore knee and Alex Lewis got the start on the strong side.
Cliff Avril didn't record a sack but he got some pressure on the QB while working with the 2s. The Lions starting ends were very quiet.
Rookie tackle Andre Fluellen was 2-0-1 and looked pretty good considering who he was working against. Redding sat out so Shaun Cody and Chuck Darby were the starters. Cody has been a disappointment and didn't give me any reason to believe that will change.
I'm off to watch another game on the DVR. Did I mention that NFL Network is the best thing since the invention of Beer?
Nothing like sitting back on a Saturday afternoon and reviewing game films in HD with rewind and pause.
