Ahead of a Week 5 game between the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints, opposing quarterback Spencer Rattler appeared to take a subtle jab at Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and his scheme.
“On the back end, they don’t do as much as what we’ve seen from these other teams, disguise-wise, but they’ve got their wrinkles and everything,” Rattler said. “They run what they do well, and can cause some havoc to quarterbacks and offenses, so we’ve got to get the ball out on time, take our shots when they’re there, and just move the chains.”
In theory, Rattler suggested, all the Saints had to do was neutralize the pass rush and then play what they see in the secondary. It eliminated any thinking, instead allowing him to lead with his eyes.
Rattler put that theory into practice this past Sunday, completing 21 of his 31 pass attempts for 225 yards and one touchdown. The Saints surrendered one QB hit and no sacks en route to a 26-14 victory, their first of the season and the first of Rattler’s career (1-10).
It turns out, Rattler wasn’t taking a shot at the Giants; he was merely being honest and pointing out that Bowen is as basic as vanilla pudding.
The Giants’ best defensive asset — their pass rush — has been largely rendered ineffective due to Bowen’s scheme. The straightforward, no-frills approach in the secondary has allowed opposing quarterbacks to get the ball out so quickly that even when the edge rushers win their matchups, there’s not enough time to get to the quarterback.
“The Giants’ pass rush is being negated because the defensive coordinator does not disguise the defense to put the milliseconds in the mind of the quarterback, the consternation in the minds of the quarterback that will allow this pass rush to get home and hamstring the pass rush,” analyst Nick Falato said on Big Blue Banter.
The blueprint was already out there for how to demonize the Giants’ defense… Rattler just decided to tell the whole world.