DMN: Giants will bring pressure on Romo
by Rick Gosselin
Jim Johnson has one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, using a blitz-heavy scheme to produce eight different Pro Bowlers in his eight seasons as coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Johnson wasn't available to the New York Giants this off-season, so coach Tom Coughlin did the next best thing – he hired Eagles linebacker coach Steve Spagnuolo to become his new defensive coordinator.
Spagnuolo had been on Johnson's staff all eight of those seasons and knows how to scheme a defense to exert pressure on quarterbacks. Pressure produces mistakes; mistakes produce turnovers.
Ask Tony Romo.
The last time Romo faced this defensive scheme, the Eagles undressed him in a 23-7 victory at Texas Stadium last December. Romo completed 14 of 29 passes for 142 yards, was sacked three times and intercepted twice. His 45.5 passer efficiency rating was his worst of a Pro Bowl season.
Romo will see the same look Sunday in the opener against the Giants, but with different players providing the pressure.
Under former coordinator Tim Lewis, the Giants relied on their front four to harass the quarterback. That didn't work last season when the Giants finished 25th in the NFL in defense and 23rd in sacks.
Spagnuolo will send more bodies from more angles. He inherited a Pro Bowl end in Osi Umenyiora. Fellow end Justin Tuck was a third-round pick, and Mathias Kiwanuka can bring heat from outside linebacker. Michael Strahan is back, as well.
Spagnuolo also will send defensive backs after Romo – just like the Eagles did last year when cornerback Rod Hood collected one of the three sacks.
Romo has had 10 months to figure out this scheme. If he struggles again Sunday night, the Cowboys will struggle again.
Jim Johnson has one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, using a blitz-heavy scheme to produce eight different Pro Bowlers in his eight seasons as coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Johnson wasn't available to the New York Giants this off-season, so coach Tom Coughlin did the next best thing – he hired Eagles linebacker coach Steve Spagnuolo to become his new defensive coordinator.
Spagnuolo had been on Johnson's staff all eight of those seasons and knows how to scheme a defense to exert pressure on quarterbacks. Pressure produces mistakes; mistakes produce turnovers.
Ask Tony Romo.
The last time Romo faced this defensive scheme, the Eagles undressed him in a 23-7 victory at Texas Stadium last December. Romo completed 14 of 29 passes for 142 yards, was sacked three times and intercepted twice. His 45.5 passer efficiency rating was his worst of a Pro Bowl season.
Romo will see the same look Sunday in the opener against the Giants, but with different players providing the pressure.
Under former coordinator Tim Lewis, the Giants relied on their front four to harass the quarterback. That didn't work last season when the Giants finished 25th in the NFL in defense and 23rd in sacks.
Spagnuolo will send more bodies from more angles. He inherited a Pro Bowl end in Osi Umenyiora. Fellow end Justin Tuck was a third-round pick, and Mathias Kiwanuka can bring heat from outside linebacker. Michael Strahan is back, as well.
Spagnuolo also will send defensive backs after Romo – just like the Eagles did last year when cornerback Rod Hood collected one of the three sacks.
Romo has had 10 months to figure out this scheme. If he struggles again Sunday night, the Cowboys will struggle again.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:04 AM
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