Over the past two seasons, Jason Pierre-Paul hasn’t come anywhere close to approaching the incredibly high bar he set during a sensational sophomore season, which featured 16.5 sacks. Having struggled with a back injury which required surgery just over a year ago, Pierre-Paul has registered only 8.5 sacks combined over the past two seasons, including two in 11 games last season.
Though Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell didn’t want to single out any individual player as being overly important to the overall success of the defense, while discussing the 25-year-old, the truth was so blatantly obvious it just came out.
“JPP is a special player,” Fewell said Thursday. “We need for him to be special.”
A pass rush which has free fallen from among the league’s best to one of the worst over the past two seasons requires Pierre-Paul to reemerge as a threat on every snap.
Fewell has noticed something different in the former All-Pro during training camp which makes him believe Pierre-Paul can return to that status, including something as simple as joking around and trying to cover the quicker Jacquian Williams.
“I’ve seen growth out of him. I’ve seen a much better attitude. I’ve seen the old JPP,” Fewell said. “I think he didn’t really get to participate in camp last year. This year he’s participating in camp and if you notice before the practice begins, he’s out running routes, covering. That’s the old JPP. His attitude is good. His work ethic has been very good. He’ll continue to develop and I’m sure he’ll regain his form.”
“He’s having fun playing the game again. When he’s got that smile on his face, then he’ll get that hunger in his eye as we build up towards the week for games, and I think you’ll see the guy perform like he can perform.”
Two weeks ago, Giants defensive line coach Robert Nunn said he hadn’t seen any physical limitations from Pierre-Paul.
“He looks good,” Nunn said. “I don’t know about what percentage he’s at — that’s hard for me to calculate. But I see nothing that shows any kind of limitations. He really came in in good shape, good condition, good frame of mind, and is off to a really good start.”