The Giants have prided themselves on defense since before most of their current players were born, but last year’s run defense fell apart, turning sieve-like in a manner not befitting Big Blue. The linemen most responsible for plugging those leaks admit the coaches have made getting back to stuffing the run priority No. 1.
“Everything starts with stopping the run,’’ defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said. “Even getting to the pass, playing the pass, getting sacks and all that stuff, you have to stop the run first. That’s the biggest point of emphasis.’’
Jenkins, veteran Shaun Rogers and rookie Johnathan Hankins represent a 75-percent turnover at defensive tackle from last year’s roster. Considering how wretched the Giants’ 2012 run defense was, that’s hardly a surprise.
“Defense as a whole has been picking up where the guys left off in the Super Bowl year,” said Rogers, whose season-ending blood clot last year played a huge role in the Giants’ woes against the run. “Stopping the run is most definitely a point of emphasis, because you’ve got to stop the run to get to the pass.’’
Last season, with Chris Canty starting alongside Joseph and Rogers not playing a single down, Big Blue got gouged for 4.6 yards per carry, fifth-worst in the entire NFL. The 129.1 yards per game they surrendered on the ground was the eighth-highest in the league, numbers as unacceptable as they are un-Giantlike.
“It has been the main point since the start, stopping that run, when we got big Shaun, Linval [Joseph], Mike [Patterson], [Frank] Okam in the middle,” Hankins said. “We’ve got the tools to stop the run, and that’s definitely one of our No. 1 goals,” Hankins said. “They drafted me to stop the run.’’
The Giants used a second-round pick to grab Hankins from Ohio State, and handed Jenkins a three-year contract to sign him away from rival Philadelphia. But the return of the 6-foot-4, 350-pound Rogers may be the biggest boost. in stuffing the run.
After Rogers signed in April 2012, the Giants announced he would miss the entire season with a blood clot in his left calf. An encouraging medical report gave them what coach Tom Coughlin had called “a ray of hope” Rogers could return, but the veteran was put on season-ending injured reserve on Aug. 31.
“It’s a little more frustrating than knowing your outcome from the jump. It’s like dangling the carrot and then taking it away. But that’s just the situation we were in,’’ said Rogers, who re-signed on Feb. 7. “It’s a good feeling to be back. I just thank them for having me back and given me an opportunity, a re-do.’’
Now Rogers has a second chance to make a first impression. After having to watch the Giants’ defense gashed repeatedly last year, unable to do what he does best — plug gaps and engulf ball carriers — this year he hopes will be different.
“They welcomed me back with open arms and I was elated to be a part of this team and try to make an impression,’’ Rogers said. “As a person, as a competitor you feel like you could contribute, could help a situation.’’