During New York Giants’ Joe Judge’s opening press conference, I ensured the fan base that he would build a coaching staff that epitomized grit and toughness. his mentality towards football aligned perfectly with that of GM Dave Gettleman’s, which played a big part in his hiring.
So far, in the coaching hunt, Judge has pieced together familiar faces that have the same mind-set, smash-mouth football that focuses on stopping the run and rushing the passer. The hiring of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham makes complete sense, considering his acquaintanceship with Judge in the past.
What are the New York Giants getting with Joe Judge and his coaching staff?
Judge will bring a ton of experience and knowledge in the winning department to the Giants, and he understands how necessary preparation is to the success of the team. However, it heavily depends on being unpredictable and unique, and that’s precisely what new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is expected to bring to Big Blue.
“Pat is a guy I’ve know for some years,” Judge said of new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, last week at the Senior Bowl. “I have a lot of respect for him, I worked with him and went against him. He does a lot of things on defense that work to the strength of the players. He’s very multiple in terms of his philosophy and also having to adjust week by week by game plan as well as within the game to make adjustments.”
Graham is expected to diversify the defense and show multiple looks throughout the course of the game. This will keep opposing offenses unsure and trying to adapt to the Giants’ scheme. When you don’t have a set scheme, though, it can be a problem deciphering their actions.
“We’re going to be smart and tough,” Graham said in an in-house interview by the Giants. “A physical team, we won’t beat ourselves, we’ll play with good discipline.”
Expect to see a different type of defense under Graham than with James Bettcher. The growth of the rookies from 2019 should prove to be a significant factor in the success of the defense, but Gettleman must allocate his draft capital and salary cap efficiently to build a solid foundation around Judge in his inaugural year.