One byproduct of the bizarre safety situation we've had for the past 3 years (bring in FS Rhodes, move him to SS, bring in SS Smith, move him behind FS Coleman) is a strong sense of versatility for our two starting safeties on Sunday. I had to go out of the country, so I watched this game last night already knowing the score. Assuming that there was no point to closely watching the front 7 die, I focused on the defensive backfield. Having Smith and Rhodes in the game, you have two safeties who now have experience and ability playing either assignment. Mangini and Sutton constantly shifted the responsibilities between the two. Rhodes lined up strong side and pressed the line, Smith lined up strong side and pressed the line. Rhodes took free coverage. Smith took free coverage. The safeties even played cover 2 in certain looks. The result was a sense that Eli at times had no idea how to account for the two of them. He couldn't make presnap reads on the safeties, and Rhodes was freed up to make plays he hasn't been able to make so far this season. On the one solid drive (no big play ball) that the Giants ran, Elam was inexplicably paired with Rhodes for the majority of the drive. The one negative that I saw from the two of them was in strong side coverage on the TE. Both players struggled to cover Shockey during the game.
Yeah, actually Smith really hit some guys hard and came up a lot to stop the run. And, like you said, he freed up Rhodes to make the plays. They're both basically the same player, with Rhodes being obviously a ballhawk and a good blitzer, Smith probably being a bigger hitter than a ballhawk, but I loved the way they worked together. I think he earned a starting job, or at least a rotation with Coleman.
I love that petit blond flag girl. Really missed seeing her last week. She gave me her number but when I called it I got some stupid pre-recorded message about "stalkers". WTF??? Anyway I must of have copied her number down wrong. Does anyone know her number or where she lives? Thanks!
