BACK TO SCHOOL
Giants ready for Cards’ college-style attack
Most of the time, a rookie’s indoctrination into the NFL goes something like this: Forget about some of that stuff you learned about defending college offenses, because it is a different game up here in the professional ranks.
This week, it is beneficial to be young and a member of the Giants’ defense, as that unit on Sunday faces Kyler Murray and the Cardinals — who employ an attack straight off campuses where the spread offense is run.
“It’s somewhat like a college game, that’s kind of where the league is trending,’’ linebacker Alec Ogletree said.
As soon as the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury as their head coach, this is the direction the offense was headed in Arizona. Kingsbury had no previous NFL coaching experience, and he brought his prolific Air Raid system with him from Texas Tech.
Kingsbury got diminutive quarterback Kyler Murray with the first pick in the draft to run the offense, and the rookie is making strides. The Cardinals scored 26 and 34 points in their past two games, both victories, and Murray has a passer rating of 87.6, a dual threat as a passer and runner.
“You can’t go off people’s height and size in the NFL,’’ cornerback Janoris Jenkins said of the 5-foot-10 Murray. “He was the No. 1-overall draft pick for a reason. We all know that. We can’t underestimate anybody’s size, because you can never measure anybody’s heart.’’
The Giants can anticipate what is coming their way. The Cardinals will often line up with five wide receivers or four receivers and a tight end. Often they will go with an empty backfield behind Murray. At times, the Cardinals go with a hurry-up offense, but not always. They will rarely huddle, preferring to mill around at the line of scrimmage and make it difficult for defenses to send substitutes onto the field.
“They don’t go too fast, but they get lined up on the ball so you got to stay ready,’’ linebacker Lorenzo Carter said. “That’s one thing coach has been emphasizing this week, too: Be ready for that muddle huddle.’’
Carter is in his second season with the Giants, not too far removed from his college days at Georgia.
“I definitely prefer a prostyle offense with less [run-pass options] and reads,’’ Carter said. “It’s nothing new. I’ve played in college, it’s just going to revert back to those rules.’’
Carter, standing 6-foot-5 with a long wingspan, said he has noticed Murray at times will get his passes deflected or batted down at the line of scrimmage, and that is a point of emphasis this week.
“Definitely,’’ Carter said. “We’ve seen that on film too, you got to get your hands up because he is smaller, he may have a harder time seeing in the pocket if everybody is collapsing the pocket with their hands up. That’s something we want to do, definitely.’’
Jenkins said the Cardinals’ offense is a bit unique but, “It’s not crazy. You got to stay on your toes. You got to make sure you’re aligned properly and ready to go at the snap because they’ll come up and quick count you, come fast to the ball and then wait until the last second to hike the ball.’’
And there is this when dealing with the ultra-quick Murray, sounding more like a basketball credo for defense than an NFL mantra:
“Coach always tell us don’t leave your feet, because that split second in the air you can’t change direction,’’ Carter said. “Don’t, just because that will make you look silly.’’