The Seahawks named their cloying defensive backfield the Legion of Boom, and that gifted unit led the way to a Super Bowl triumph despite seeing Seattle atop the NFL board for most penalties during the 2013 season.
Even in this age of offense-friendly rules, the Seahawks found a way to hold, grab and tug. Sure, they got called for some of these infractions but not for all of them. As the nickel back in that secondary, Walter Thurmond III joined in the fun and played on the edge, sometimes over the edge and reaped the rewards.
Now Thurmond sees what the Seahawks wrought. The league did not change the rules for illegal contact and defensive holding but for this season is making those plays a “point of emphasis.’’ So too, supposedly, the league is cracking down on offensive pass interference.
In the first two preseason games, the Giants have been flagged 10 times for defensive holding or illegal contact — five in each game. Eight of the penalties have been accepted and nine of the calls have come against defensive backs: Jayron Hosley (3), Prince Amukamara (2), Zack Bowman (2), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (1) and rookie Bennett Jackson (1).
“I’m going to continue playing my game the way I’ve been playing my game,’’ said Thurmond, the former Legion of Boomer who signed a one-year contract with the Giants. “I’m not going to change it because of the rules. I’m going to be consciously more aware of where I need to get my hands off of the receiver but, I mean, it’s supposedly being called both ways. We’ll see if that happens.’’
The Giants attacked free agency in order to strengthen their defensive backfield and they do not want to tone down the aggressiveness. Perhaps the wave of penalties in the preseason will give way to fewer flags once the games count.
What is certain is the Giants were forewarned.
“The fact they are being called close is not a surprise,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said Sunday.
Early in the 20-16 victory over the Steelers on Saturday, Amukamara thought he was in a fair fight with receiver Antonio Brown, and even felt he got nudged off the play by Brown on what became a 17-yard reception. The penalty on Amukamara was called and declined.
“It’s tough because last year they allowed the cornerbacks to have that healthy 5, 6, maybe 7 [yards] — depending on who you are you can get away with just touching the guy,’’ Amukamara said. “Now it’s like strict, like hands off, do not touch the receiver after 5 yards. It’s just something us DBs are going to have to get used to and just try to be more aggressive within the 5 yards.’’
More than anything, the Giants want consistency in the decision-making. Thurmond, on the first defensive series, got tangled with receiver Lance Moore on a Ben Roethlisberger lob pass and admitted he was looking for an offensive pass interference call.
“It’s kind of a grey area, they can throw the flag in any situation,’’ Thurmond said. “Luckily for me I looked back for the ball so I was in a position to try to make a play on the ball as opposed to if I still would have been looking at him they probably would have thrown the flag. ‘’
In the third quarter it certainly looked as if Steelers cornerback Brice McCain not only made contact downfield on receiver Marcus Harris, but that McCain nearly tackled Harris. No call was made as Ryan Nassib’s pass fell incomplete and Coughlin showed he’s in midseason form as he gestured wildly and launched into a verbal assault of the official on the sideline.
“Some of the plays are bogus,’’ Thurmond said. “One situation gets called on the play and another play happens that’s kind of similar, they don’t throw a flag on it. It’s all judgment calls at the end of the day, it’s all really depending on what the referees feeling at in that given moment and situation.’’
The Giants have three more preseason games to get it right, or as close to right as possible.
“We are just going to continue to compete downfield,’’ cornerbacks coach Peter Giunta said. “If they are going to call it, we just have to be less aggressive with our hands down the field. You don’t want to hand fight these guys and not let them push us off, but we have to realize what the rules are and the emphasis this year.’’