The New York Giants know they have a problem with fumbles, and one of head coach John Harbaugh’s key assistants has a new way to fix the issue.
Running backs coach Willie Taggart revealed an unusual drill and new mantra to help the Giants improve ball security. Taggart told Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News “offensive players are doing more drills with ‘weighted’ footballs — some filled with water, some with rocks — to emphasize ball security after Sunday’s 4 fumbles. ‘It teaches you to squeeze it and keep it up high.'”
The Giants are combining the physical mechanics of this drill with greater mental by using a key slogan for every player who carries the football. Taggart explained to Leonard the Giants’ “mantra is ‘D.G.A.’ Everybody’s dreams, goals and aspirations are in that football. Everybody’s. Joe Blow riding his bike down the street is counting on you to take care of the football.”
Their mantra is “D.G.A.
Anybody counting on the Giants to take care of the football against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 was left disappointed. None more so than Harbaugh, who called out repeated fumbling as unacceptable, despite his team losing just one of its four fumbles during a 28-20 win.
John Harbaugh, Coaching Staff Working Fast to Fix Fatal Flaw
Harbaugh deeming ball security as “non-negotiable,” per John Fennelly of Giants Wire, is about setting a higher collective standard. The best way to do that is by avoiding complacency, even in victory.
While the Giants didn’t pay a high price for putting the ball on the ground four times against the Cowboys, Harbaugh has enough experience to know things might’ve been different.
The 63-year-old Super Bowl-winning former head coach of the Baltimore Ravens also knows the Giants can’t afford to repeat those mistakes. Not when they’re running an offense based on ball control and dominating time of possession.
Harbaugh’s Giants lack the firepower to recover from turnovers and still outscore teams each week. Especially when they face a team as high-powered as Week 2’s opponents, the Los Angeles Rams.
Giants Can’t Afford More Fumbles vs. Rams
Harbaugh is building the Giants to bully defenses with a “dirty” running game and move the chains with high-percentage completions in clutch situations. The plan demands efficiency from key skill players, but running backs Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr., along with quarterback Jaxson Dart and tight end Isaiah Likely, all fumbled in Week 1.
Only Tracy lost his fumble, but the Giants won’t get so lucky again. Their gameplan worked beautifully against the Cowboys, but the Rams pose a tougher challenge at SoFi Stadium on Monday Night Football.
The first challenge for the Giants is not exposing Dart to a swarming Rams’ pass rush too often. Particularly if a future Hall of Famer makes good on his plan to make a comeback this week.
Using heavy running to wear down the pass rush and protect Dart is only one part of how the Giants spring an upset. The other involves reducing the number of drives for reigning NFL MVP, Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford.
He can’t get too many opportunities to target a depleted Giants’ secondary undergoing changes after a slew of worrying injury updates.
Protecting vital and suspect areas on both sides of the ball depends on the Giants winning on the ground. That depends on players responding to Taggart’s mantra and taking care of what matters most.
Giants’ Coach Reveals New ‘Mantra’ to Fix ‘Non-Negotiable’ Issue