Antrel Rolle: Giants defense needs to spend more time studying

NEW YORK — Giants safety Antrel Rolle watched the Seahawks’ demolition of the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII Sunday and focused on Seattle’s defense. He was impressed with the Seahawks’ sheer domination of the Broncos’ offense; how they instilled fear into the most explosive offense in NFL history.

In order for the Giants defense to get to that unit’s level, he said, some players need to dedicate more time to studying defensive coordinator Perry Fewell's schemes.

“Just guys taking more initiative and more focus toward their craft, understanding our defense in and out,” Rolle said Tuesday in Manhattan, where he was honored at The 34th Annual Munson Awards for his charitable work. “There were some times throughout the year when Perry Fewell was restricted from running certain defenses that I know he loves to run — certain defenses that I know could’ve helped us.

“But it takes everyone. It’s a collective effort. If one guy’s wrong, we’re all wrong. So you need everyone on the same page at the same time.”

Rolle specified that most of his defense’s troubles were early on in the season and the Giants defense eventually performed better, but he indicated he believed some players did not put in the time working on learning the defense that he did. Rolle, 31, was the Giants’ most consistent defender, compiling 98 tackles and six interceptions on the way to his third Pro Bowl and second All-Pro selection.

“You’re going to have guys that study and go way above and beyond the X’s and O’s,” Rolle said. “And you’re going to have guys just go in there and do what is taught to them during the meeting times and during the film study at the facility or what’s taking place on the field. And we all know you have to study this game. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand.”

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Rolle said he watched the Super Bowl with Packers tight end Jermichael Finley and gave the free agent a recruiting pitch.

Finley, Rolle said, responded favorably and complimented new offense coordinator Ben McAdoo, who spent two seasons as the Packers’ quarterbacks coach.

"He said that he would love to be a part of the Giants,” Rolle said. “He was telling me Ben McAdoo is a brain, that he’s going to keep defenses guessing, and he’s very smart."


(nj.com)