Trouble on the corner
Defensive backs remain glaring weakness for ‘D’
The only proven veteran is under fire for his questionable effort.
The rookie first-round draft pick getting targeted admits he needs more time in his playbook.
The newest starter might have been playing the wrong coverage on the game-sealing touchdown pass. And the only help on the way has not taken a NFL snap during his two-year career.
Other than all that, everything is just fine for the Giants’ cornerbacks.
Actually, the latest disaster in defense from the Giants during a 37-18 loss to the Cowboys was focused on one position group, even though coach Pat Shurmur and defensive coordinator James Bettcher avoid singling out players. Consider this:
Janoris Jenkins offered a flag-football-style arm tackle at Blake Jarwin, as the tight end scored a 42-yard touchdown off a broken play.
“He just missed a tackle,” Shurmur said. “He was making an effort to tackle him, and the guy had a head of steam and he missed it.”
A similar questionable effort got safety Curtis Riley benched by the Giants last season. Asked what happened, the business-minded Jenkins, who claims to be happy not being traded to a contender, said, “I don’t know. I’ve got to look on film.”
Inserted into the starting lineup for Grant Haley, rookie sixth-round draft pick Corey Ballentine was beat for one touchdown pass negated by penalty and then appeared to be playing man-to-man coverage while others were in zone on Amari Cooper’s 45-yard touchdown.
“He’s matching that initial receiver up the field, but that was through what was called as a zone coverage, which happens,” Shurmur said. “There was zone around him.”
DeAndre Baker was flagged for pass interference, allowed five catches for 68 yards, according to Pro Football Focus, and was fingernails away from an interception that became a touchdown pass for the second straight week.
“That’s just the biggest thing right now — the playbook.” Baker said. “Just knowing the plays. Knowing what I have to do. Knowing my assignment.”
Coming into the season with Jenkins and five others who had played a total of 10 NFL games (Haley, Ballentine, Baker, Sam Beal and Julian Love), cornerback always was going to be a point of weakness for the Giants. Even a better-than-expected complementary pass rush hasn’t saved the Giants from a No. 25 ranking in pass defense (263.6 yards per game).
“It’s not always the same [mistake],” Shurmur said. “If teams are going to make a play on you, you have to get him on the ground. Then you have to try to eliminate the big play to begin with. There are a lot of different reasons for it. We just need to make sure we clean those up.”
But what can Shurmur really do with a deficient roster? By benching Haley, the Giants already lost their surest run-stopper in the back seven.
The only reinforcements on the roster are Beal, who was activated from injured reserve Tuesday, and the slowly developing rookie fourth-round pick Love. The Giants cut safety Sean Chandler for Beal, and Love could slide into that backup nickel safety and special teams role.
The time passed to look at waivers or free agency for a temporary solution, which now is counterproductive to evaluating youngsters in another lost season.
Safeties Jabrill Peppers (forced fumble) and Antoine Bethea (fumble recovery, interception) combined for two takeaways against the Cowboys, but Bethea also took a poor angle on Cooper’s cross-field touchdown. Another repeat mistake.
Beal should make his NFL debut Sunday against the Jets, 16 months after he was drafted.