Coach’s defense of Lawrence reinforces Giants focused on wrong things
Imagine giving up 276 rushing yards and looking forward to having a job in the NFL.
That’s what Giants defensive line coach Andre Patterson did Friday. He articulated Carl Banks’ criticisms of Dexter Lawrence and, in doing so, demonstrated that this organization is focused on all the wrong things.
“I have a lot of respect for what he did in his career as a New York Giant, a lot of respect, more than you can imagine,” Patterson said of Banks, a two-time Super Bowl champion. “But as far as the D line goes, it’s true, I’m one of 32 people doing this in the entire world. I’m one of 32 people doing this for a long time.”
“So my word is the most important word in my room, not what anyone else says outside of this building,” Patterson added. “My word, [defensive coordinator] Shane [Bowen]The word of and the word of our head coach. No one else, and they understand that. So no, that [criticism from Banks] has no merit.
There’s something wrong with Patterson: He’s not in the 32. He’s 32 of 32.
The Giants defense allows 5.7 yards per carry, ranking dead last in the 32-team NFL. Their 148.9 rushing yards per game ranked 30th, with the Cincinnati Bengals (151.9) and Buffalo Bills (150.3) close behind.
Banks said “no one respects” Lawrence earlier this week in an attempt to light a fire under Lawrence’s underperformance. It’s not a stretch to believe that Banks had the blessing of someone high up in the organization, like Brian Daboll or Bowen, to bring in his best player to try to motivate him.
On Friday, Patterson should have said Banks was right, that Lawrence and the entire defensive line needed to play better. He should have said that giving up 276 yards to the Philadelphia Eagles was unacceptable.
He should have said that no one knows that better than Patterson, Lawrence and the Giants players. And they’re working hard to fix it, because the standard set by Banks and the 1980s Giants is one they constantly aspire to.
Instead, he demeaned Banks’ position as the opinion of a “player,” not a coach, and admitted that he asked Giants PR to look at Lawrence’s sack total statistics last season to demonstrate how the Giants lineman is a victim of his own success.
“I had Dion [Dargin] look for that for me,” Patterson said, before posting random stats on nose tackles and sacks.
However, Patterson didn’t understand that he was attacking himself by saying this.
He showed that his priority was not to fix bad play on the field or even admit it; it was about finding statistics to correct a negative narrative.
His interview was even attended and monitored by a notably large contingent of Giants PR people compared to other assistants.
If that doesn’t sum up the Giants tenure of Joe Schoen and Daboll in one example, nothing will.
Again, this is why someone like Banks had to say something: Lawrence’s coaches are too focused on making excuses to allow him to address the real issues here.
Patterson doubled down on Banks’ opinion, which carries no more weight than a journalist’s.
“It’s your opinion. [that is matters more]. That’s your opinion,” Patterson said. “Yes, he’s a great Giants player. He’s a great Giant player. But he doesn’t coach the D-line or a D-line player in the National Football League. He is not. Players have all kinds of opinions, but that doesn’t mean it’s true. RIGHT?”
“I’m not lowering his opinion,” he added. “He’s entitled to his opinion, but the bottom line is that players are truly evaluated by the people who coach them and the players who play against them. Everyone can have an opinion if they want to.”
Patterson admitted at least once that “my job is to coach these defensive linemen and help them get better week in and week out,” but he added that his job is also to “face realities.”
“And that’s what I do, I face realities,” he said. “If you ask any of my players, I don’t coddle my players. I tell truths. So if you’re not playing well, I’m going after you, it doesn’t matter if you’re Dexter Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowler, or if you’re [Darius Alexander] a recruit. It doesn’t matter to me. I’ll tell you the truth.
The truth is that Patterson is a finger pointer enabled by Schoen, Daboll and this organization.
He blamed the Giants’ safeties and corners for the team’s poor run defense late last season. And Daboll scapegoated secondary coaches Jerome Henderson and Mike Treier.
So it was no surprise that Lawrence lamented that “it’s not just the guys in front that stop the run” after Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby rushed for 100 yards Sunday in Philadelphia.
And that’s why it wasn’t surprising — even if it was disappointing — that Lawrence called Banks “delusional” on Wednesday.
He only follows his trainer, more concerned with perception than with the reality with which he claims to deal.
ADEBO, FLOAT; ELUEMUNOR DOUBT
Corners Paulson Adebo (knee) and Cor’Dale Flott (concussion) are out for the Giants against the 49ers on Sunday, and starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (pec) is questionable. That will likely propel corner Deonte Banks, rookie corner Korie Black and rookie tackle Marcus Mbow into Sunday’s starting lineup.
Tight end Daniel Bellinger (neck) is also questionable, and corner Art Green (hamstring) and defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck) are out. So, rookie tight end Thomas Fidone II could see meaningful offensive snaps for the first time.
Safety Jevon Holland (knee) and corner Rico Payton (groin) are questionable. Holland seemed poised to return, but if he doesn’t play, Dane Belton would make a second straight start in his place. Expect wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud to make his Giants debut Sunday off the practice squad.
