Giants Top Ranking of NFC East Secondaries in 2010

Filed under: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins, NFC East

No NFC player had more interceptions in 2010 than Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel. No NFL player picked off as many passes in a game in nine years as Washington Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall did in Week 7. And of the 13 active players with as many as 28 career interceptions, four -- Samuel, Hall, New York Giants safety Deon Grant and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman -- call the NFC East home. No other division boasts more than two such thieves.

But that doesn't mean that 2010 was a great year for NFC East secondaries. In the key statistics of points allowed and passing yards allowed, the Redskins and Cowboys both finished in the bottom third of the league. The Eagles and Giants finished in the top half in the latter but not the former. New York's pass defense was shredded by Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the Week 16 defeat that kept the 10-6 Giants out of the playoffs. Philadelphia's pass defense was bad enough that coach Andy Reid fired second-year coordinator Sean McDermott on Saturday.

So let's take a more in-depth look at how the division's defensive backs performed in 2010 and what to expect in 2011.

GIANTS -- New York didn't have a standout like Philadelphia's Samuel, but except for Week 5 in Houston when Grant started for Kenny Phillips at strong safety, the Giants had incredible stability. Cornerbacks Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster and Pro Bowl free safety Antrel Rolle each started all 16 games as Big Blue finished ninth against the pass in 2009 when Phillips spent most of the year on injured reserve and Rolle (Arizona Cardinals) and Grant (Seattle Seahawks) were playing for other teams.

With the help of one of the league's top pass rushes, New York's secondary only surrendered 300 net passing yards in three games (301 in a Week 6 victory over Detroit, 324 in a Week 10 loss to Jon Kitna and the Cowboys and a whopping 396 in the aforementioned drubbing at Lambeau Field). Thomas, particularly aggressive against the run for a cornerback, Rolle and Phillips all ranked among New York's top four tacklers. Thomas was third on the Giants with four forced fumbles while Phillips and Grant tied for second with three fumble recoveries. Thomas led the way with five interceptions, one more than Webster registered and two more than Grant produced. The secondary accounted for 14 of the Giants' 15 pickoffs,

Rolle was also a constantly vocal presence in the media for first-year coordinator Perry Fewell, whose defense rose from 30th in points allowed under predecessor Bill Sheridan to a more respectable 17th.

Grant, who'll be 32 in March, is the only unsigned member of the top six in the secondary (including third corner Aaron Ross). Webster will be 29 in March. Thomas is 26. Rolle and Ross are 28. Phillips is just 24 so the continuity should continue in 2011. GRADE: B

EAGLES -- Samuel led the NFC and tied for second in the league with seven interceptions although he missed a game with a concussion, three with a sprained knee and a fifth when coach Andy Reid rested most of his regulars for the meaningless finale against the Cowboys. Among active cornerbacks, only Denver's Champ Bailey (48) and Green Bay's Charles Woodson (47) have more career interceptions than Samuel's 42 and they have played four and five more years, respectively. At times, Samuel can be too aggressive, playing the ball instead of the receiver and going for knockout blows with his tackles, but he remains a player against whom opposing quarterbacks have to be very careful or they'll get burned as the Manning brothers each learned again twice in November games against the Eagles.

Samuel's former New England teammate, Ellis Hobbs, began the season as Philadelphia's other cornerback, but he suffered a season-ending neck injury on a kickoff return against the Giants in Week 11, leaving his career in jeopardy. Journeyman Dimitri Patterson replaced Hobbs, but after a solid start that included two (of his four) interceptions against the Redskins, Patterson was toasted often late in the season, particularly in the wild Week 15 game against the Giants. Former third cornerback Joselio Hanson started the three games when Samuel was sidelined with the ailing knee and was decent. Rookie Trevard Lindley started the finale.

At safety, veteran strongside starter Quintin Mikell was credited with a team-high 111 tackles including 83 solos. He also tied for the team lead with three fumble recoveries, forced a fumble, recorded a sack and picked off three passes. Free safety Nate Allen had a strong rookie year with three interceptions, two sacks and a forced fumble along with 59 tackles before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 14. Fellow rookie Kurt Coleman took over and generally performed well. .

Mikell, 30, is unsigned for 2011. Samuel, 30, Patterson, 27 and Hanson, 29, are the other veterans in the secondary if Hobbs, 27, retires. Secondary coach Dick Jauron is the most likely candidate to replace McDermott but while that post is unfilled, the unit and the entire defense remains in limbo. GRADE: B-

REDSKINS: The flashy, voluble Hall had those four interceptions in the victory at Chicago, returning one for the clinching touchdown. He also won the opener against the Cowboys by returning a fumble for Washington's only touchdown. However, Hall only had two interceptions the rest of the season and was burned for several long completions and touchdowns, notably in Week 10 against the Eagles and in the finale by the Giants' Mario Manningham.

Hall, 27, was still chosen for his third Pro Bowl, his first since 2006. He forced two fumbles and recovered two and led the secondary in tackles, the latter because strong safety LaRon Landry, 26, suffered a season-ending Achilles' injury in Week 10 when he was leading the Pro Bowl balloting thanks to some vicious tackles, 10 quarterback hurries and the overtime interception that set up the field goal that upset the Packers. Reed Doughty, 28, replaced Landry. While a solid run defender, Doughty isn't nearly the athlete that Landry is and is even more of a liability in pass coverage for a defense that ranked 31st against the pass.

Like Doughty, cornerback Carlos Rogers, 29, is unsigned for 2011. While 2006 sixth-round draft pick Doughty should be very affordable to retain, Rogers, the ninth overall selection in 2005, is looking for a lucrative contract. Best known for dropping sure interceptions, Rogers had a good year in coverage and was much happier under new coordinator Jim Haslett than he had been under Greg Blache, who benched him at times in 2008 and 2009. Phillip Buchanon, 30, was solid while starting the five games that Rogers missed with hamstring injuries.

Third-year man Kareem Moore won the free safety job in August but injured a knee in preseason, missed the first two games while he recovered from arthroscopic surgery and generally struggled, especially in run defense before missing the final two games with the knee. Reserve cornerback Kevin Barnes, 24, took over and made the interception in overtime that set up the field goal that upset Jacksonville. GRADE: D+

COWBOYS: After ranking second in scoring defense in 2009, Dallas crashed to 31st in 2010. The Cowboys' horrid first half cost coach/defensive coordinator Wade Phillips his job. However, Paul Pasqualoni, who was promoted from defensive line coach to coordinator, didn't tinker much, keeping Newman, 2009 Pro Bowl pick Mike Jenkins, Sensabaugh and Ball as his starters. The Cowboys ranked 26th against the pass after finishing 20th in 2009.

Although Newman, 32, didn't match his usual Pro Bowl standard and could be over the hill despite his five interceptions, the big disappointment was third-year man Jenkins, who was careless in coverage, weak in tackling and hustle and dropped from five interceptions in 2009 to one. Third cornerback Orlando Scandrick, who'll be 24 next month, and rookie free agent Bryan McCann, who was on the practice squad for the first seven games, had as many interceptions and were more positive factors. Jenkins needs to bounce back in a big way under the new coordinator -- probably Rob Ryan, formerly with Oakland and Cleveland -- in 2011.

 

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