New York Giants Need the Old Jason Pierre-Paul To Show Up In Week 9

By Joe Pietaro @MuscleSportMag on October 31, 2014

For an organization that prides itself on defense, the current version of the New York Giants has not been up to par in that all-important facet. Inconsistency has been an issue and while there have been moments where the unit is clicking on all cylinders, there’s been more when it has had breakdowns in the pass rush, which has in turn exposed the secondary.

And Jason Pierre-Paul is the type of player than can change that single-handedly. Defensive line coach Robert Nunn told the team’s website:

“He is doing a better job than he has ever done of attacking guys and knowing on Wednesday and Thursday what he sees and how to attack them. He goes out to practice and trying to go through the one-on-one drills and work on those things that he sees will help him during the game.”

Since his 16.5 sack season three years ago, the player known as JPP has seen those numbers decline sharply. Through the first seven games of this season, he has 3.5 sacks.

So it goes without saying that the Giants need the Pierre-Paul from 2011 to make a reappearance if they are to get back on the winning track this week against the Indianapolis Colts and their explosive offense led by quarterback Andrew Luck. The Stanford graduate has a great pocket presence and is advanced way beyond his years eluding sacks. Pierre-Paul praised the QB saying:

“He knows how to read coverages; he is a mobile quarterback. Our job is to stop the run and get to the quarterback as fast as possible.”

The Colts currently have the No. 1 offense in the NFL, and this is something that Pierre-Paul and his teammates have seen before and were successful. He said:

 “When (the) Atlanta (Falcons) came in [a 30-20 Giants win back in Week 5], they were No. 1 and we rose to the challenge.”

For that to happen again, Pierre-Paul needs to become the force that he’s proven he can be.

Joe Pietaro is a New York Giants writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @MuscleSportMag, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.