DAR’ TO BE GREAT
Spags: 2nd-year safety ‘finding his way’
Steve Spagnuolo still looks at Darian Thompson like he’s a rookie, even if the secondyear safety f inally doesn’t resemble one anymore.
Thompson, who missed all but two games last season with a foot injury — which required surgery in November — didn’t look much better than the rest of his t eammates during the Giants’ awful start to the season, particularly struggling at tackl i ng t hrough the f i rst four games.
But over t he past two games, the 24-year-old has revived the promise he demonstrated in last season’s limited action, playing like the Boise State ball-hawk, who also caused havoc blitzing the quarterback.
In the midst of the Giants’ miserable season, Spagnuolo grew excited talking about Thompson, whose progress could enable the defense to begin replicating last season’s success.
“He’s f inally f inding his way,” the Giants defensive coordinator said after Thursday’s practice. “I know this, the guy’s got confidence and that was the f irst thing. ... So, hopefully it’ll be a spark. We’ll see.”
The spark may have come two weeks ago, when Thompson recorded his first career i nterception against t he Chargers, in the end zone. He finished that game with a career-high 11 tackles and two passes defended, along with a quarterback hit.
In t he win over the Broncos, Thompson’s strong t ackling continued, as the safety was the Gi an t s ’ lone defender to play all 81 snaps.
“I don’t know if [the interception is] what I needed, but that feeling of losing a game and not playing well, it just kind of did something to me,” said Thompson, who recorded 19 career interceptions at Boise State. “I told myself that I’m just going to go out there and just have fun with it and do what I usually do and play football like I usually play football.
“I think when I’m not playing well and I start thinking about not playing well, that’s when I don’t play well. But, when I go out there and I just say, ‘Forget it and just play, have fun,’ that’s when it seems to improve.”
Suddenly, Thompson’s instincts feel sharper. No longer is the former thirdround pick patient, if he sees an opportunity to be aggressive. No longer is he thinking when a decision should have already been made.
“I had to learn to get back to playing football a little bit, but I think that just comes with being out for a while,” Thompson said. “I think I’m a little bit above a rookie, but a little bit underneath a second-year player.
“Just getting back out there and playing the game, you can do as much practice as you want, but once you’re out there with the live bullets, it’s a little bit different.”
Thompson expects one of the toughest tests of his young career Sunday, facing Russell Wilson and the Seahawks.
As the last line of defense, Thompson won’t allow himself to believe everything he sees from the mobile, freestyling quarterback.
“He’s like Houdini,” Thompson said. “You might think he’s down, but if you don’t hear a whistle blow, you’ve got to continue to cover because at that point the receivers will change their routes and they know how to get open. ... That’s what he’s so good at.
“We’ve s een time after time where it seems like he should’ve been sacked and he throws a bomb and it’s complete, so it’ll be a good challenge for us.”