The memory was still vivid, still pleasant, and there was a longing in Antrel Rolle’s voice as he recalled the defensive performance of the Giants in last year’s NFC divisional playoff upset of the Packers.
“We were just so in sync it was incredible, probably the best thing I’ve ever been a part of,’’ Rolle said yesterday. “We were just laying on the line for each other. There were no doubts who was going to be where. We just did what we did as a team.’’
That dominance hasn’t translated into this season, and the term “sync’’ was on the lips of several defensive players as they ready themselves for a third tangle with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in the past 11 months. The most recent encounter could be filed under the “Best Of Giants Defense’’ as they sacked Rodgers four times, intercepted him once, forced three fumbles and harassed him into throwing 20 incomplete passes.
It was the Giants in sync.
“We would like to get back to that performance, we haven’t seen it in a while,’’ linebacker Chase Blackburn said. “We need to put one of those back on film.’’
The film thus far has revealed a run defense that has been shredded at times, a defensive front that has been invisible at times and a secondary that has given up 39 pass plays of 20 or more yards. The last time the Giants took the field, these deficiencies were exploited by Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and the Bengals. After a week off, if these deficiencies accompany the Giants off their bye week into the nationally-televised showdown with the Packers, it could get ugly.
Once again, Rodgers is playing as if he has the ball on a string. He’s completing 67 percent of his passes, has amassed 27 touchdown passes — only Drew Brees with 28 has more — and he has three players with five or more scoring receptions.
The breakout star this season is Randall Cobb, who in his second year has blossomed into one of the most versatile weapons in the NFL. A former quarterback at Kentucky, Cobb’s imprint can be seen in virtually every statistical department where yards are counted. He’s the only player in the league to have 600 yards on kickoff returns (627), 500 receiving yards (574), 200 yards on punt returns (211) and 100 rushing yards (115). Cobb is averaging 152.7 combined net yards per game.
“As far as I know, he’s not selling any programs coming in, but he does it all now,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said.
The Giants in the playoffs were able to knock Rodgers off his Swiss-watch precision by applying tight coverage, not allowing him to get the ball out of his hand as quickly as he wanted and disrupting the timing of the passing attack. That has not been a staple of how the Giants have operated in this post-Super Bowl season and no one is guaranteeing anything for this weekend.
“I don’t think he’s rattleable, if that’s a word,’’ Justin Tuck said when asked about Rodgers.
It’s not a word, but we get it. The goal for any defense is to get the opposing quarterback shaken, rattled, upset. It is easier said than done with Rodgers, the NFL’s top-rated passer.
“I think we can probably speed him up a little, maybe slow him down a little bit,’’ Tuck said. “Rattle? He’s played in a lot of big-time games and played well in a lot of big-time games. He’s got hit a lot in certain games and take your heart at the end of the game. So rattle him? I don’t think so. I hope I’m wrong, I hope we can but he hasn’t shown anything on film where you think he’d be rattled.”
Rodgers took the Giants’ heart at the end of last year’s regular-season game, getting the ball tied at 35 with 58 seconds left and swiftly putting the Packers in position for a game-winning field goal.
“Great football team,’’ Rolle said. “Honestly I’m getting tired of playing these guys each and every year.’’