The Giants made a strong bid for the title of offseason champs this year by spending heavily on free agents they think can improve their defense.
It was a unit in need of help. They finished last in yards allowed, last in passing yards allowed and 30th in points allowed under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo last season, continuing a dismal run for a team that once defined itself by the strength of its defense.
Defensive end Olivier Vernon, defensive tackle Damon Harrison and cornerback Janoris Jenkins haven’t played a game for the Giants yet, but Spagnuolo is obviously feeling good about the impact they’ll have because he declared the bad days a thing of the past on Wednesday.
“They’re done,” Spagnuolo said, via the New York Daily News. “We’re going to be better. We’re going to be better because of players. We’re going to be better because of better coaching, less mistakes, because it’s the second year in the system. That’s what we fully expect to do. Everything that happened and what we went through last year is over.”
There are other reasons to think the Giants will be better on defense this year, including defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul being further along in his recovery from nearly blowing his hand off in a fireworks accident last year, and you wouldn’t expect gloomy predictions from a guy whose job will be on the line if his unit flops again this year. Now Spagnuolo and company will have to back up the words with a performance that proves it was money well spent in New Jersey.