Chargers Harbor No Illusions: They Expect a Tough Giant Defense
When the New York Giants last week awarded running back Joe Morris a contract worth $550,000 a year, he became the team’s fourth most highly paid player.
Two of three players ahead of him are linebackers--Lawrence Taylor, $1.2 million a year, and Carl Banks, $650,000. (Quarterback Phil Simms makes $760,000.) That fact underscores the importance of defense in the Giants’ scheme.
Be assured that the Chargers have no illusions about Taylor, Banks and their supporting cast in the New York defense. In today’s game in Giants Stadium, the Chargers do not expect to score 50 points, as they did last week against Miami, nor do they anticipate getting 41 points, as happened three years ago in their last meeting with New York.
“Lawrence Taylor is a guy who can cause havoc for any offense,” said Al Saunders, San Diego assistant head coach.
“In preparing to play the Giants, our first objective is to attack their scheme. But nearly as important, we have to protect ourselves from their personnel, specifically Taylor and Banks. We know that all our movement and shifting won’t affect them as much as it does other teams, but we still have to do it in order to try to outflank the Giants or gain a mismatch where we can.”
Among the Chargers’ problems will be protecting quarterback Dan Fouts from a defense that last year led the National Football League with 68 sacks. Taylor, who had 13 1/2 sacks, will be the target of tackle Jim Lachey and fullback Tim Spencer.
In the 1983 game, Fouts suffered a shoulder injury when sacked by Taylor and George Martin. That injury forced him to miss six games.
The Giants, the league’s second-ranked defense overall in 1985 behind the Chicago Bears, are stronger against the run than Miami, against whom the Chargers rushed for 224 yards last week.
“It will be difficult for us to be that productive in our running game this week,” Saunders admitted. “Our tight ends and running backs will have to do a job blocking their outside linebackers.”
The New York defense was a disappointment to Coach Bill Parcells in a 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. The Cowboys’ Herschel Walker scored with 54 seconds remaining on a 10-yard draw play.
“We were getting tired then,” Parcells said. “I wasn’t happy with our stamina. We lost concentration. We did all the things you do to get beat. . . . I’m talking about three or four players (whom he didn’t identify). I was displeased with their conditioning and inability to function under pressure. The recourse is to rotate people and keep more fresh people in there.”
One player who clearly was not in condition was Morris, the key player in the New York offense. He was involved in a contract dispute and missed much of training camp.
But even though he seemed to be out of shape, Morris rushed for 87 yards, including runs of 34, 10 and 12 yards.
The Chargers must find a way to contain him, said defensive coordinator Ron Lynn.
“He bursts, he explodes, he accelerates,” Lynn said. “Every game we’ve watched, he has made a big play. Because of his bursts, we will have to adjust our blitzes somewhat.
“We also have to be concerned about the ability of their quarterback, Simms, to move around in the pocket. We will have to rush with containment and lane discipline.”
The Chargers will be employing two new defensive linemen today in the absence of rookie Terry Unrein, who suffered a knee injury last week.
Dee Hardison, formerly of the Giants, was signed last week, but did not play against the Dolphins. Lester Williams, picked up at midweek after being waived by New England, will join Hardison in a backup role against the Giants.
The Chargers were hoping that safety John Hendy would be fully recovered from a knee injury in time for today’s game but it appears unlikely that he will be able to play more than a minor role.
Physical problems aside, Lynn is feeling good about his defense.
“I don’t think we’re causing sleepless nights for other offensive teams around the league,” Lynn said, “but, then, I’m not having any sleepless nights, either.”
The Charger defense, last in the league last year, ranked 14th overall after the season’s first week. The Chargers were No. 1 against the run after limiting Miami to 45 yards rushing.
Saunders, for one, knows it’s unlikely that the Chargers can maintain their place as the league’s toughest defense to run against the Giants. He also knows that the New York defense probably won’t have another mediocre game as it did against Dallas.
“Dallas really didn’t dominate the Giants,” Saunders said. “What they did was execute well, particularly on screens and draws. Any team that plays New York has to execute and physically beat them, because the Giants are a basic defense that isn’t easy to fool. We know that over a 16-game season they are going to have a lot more good days than bad days.”