New York Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson used his Thursday media availability to spell out what fans will see from a unit that played a vanilla preseason.
Wilson said the picture has not changed since he arrived. The Giants are going to be unapologetic in how they play.
"We're going to be decisive in what we do," Wilson said. "We're going to play with an edge. We're going to play with toughness. We're going to bring violence. That's how we're going to play. That's our MO. That's how the guys have been going out, doing their work every day, their daily business. And that's how we're going to play."
That identity is tied to the coverage he prefers. Asked why his defenses play so much press, Wilson did not hesitate.
"Well, I believe in
no free access, no easy completions," he said. "You know, as a quarterback, drop back and try to decipher what coverage you're in. That's just how I've been raised in this game, and that's what I believe in."
The two ideas work together. Crowding receivers at the line takes away free releases. Making the quarterback diagnose coverage on the drop is meant to eliminate easy throws.
Asked what he hopes people will say about the defense at season's end, Wilson would not go there.
"I'm just worried about today. I'm not worried about the end of the season," he said.
The standard for today is unchanged.
"I want us to be tough, physical," Wilson said. "I want us to attack the ball with violence. And I want us to be smothering. That's what I want to see from this defense."
For fans who skipped the preseason, the message was plain. The Giants intend to dictate from the snap and play with the edge Wilson has demanded every day.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Dennard Wilson: New York Giants defense will be unapologetically violent
