Phillips has nine tackles (seven solo) in the defeat to Baltimore on Saturday. Phillips has been one of the league's most unappreciated performers this season. The versatile safety is currently averaging more than seven tackles per game over his last eight games, including four games with at least nine stops.
He began the year as a reserve behind rookie Jamal Adams but has established himself as the team's top defender down back. New York signed him before the start of 2017 after he spent three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He had 72 tackles and five interceptions in 16 games for the Ravens in 2016.
Phllips was also responsible for two touchdowns in his first season with the Giants. One of them came in the opener against Chicago when he returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown. He also had a fumble recovery in that game.
Adrian Phillips' father-in-law is former NFL player Kevin Williams. The younger Phillips is a free agent after this season and could be looking at a big pay rise if he continues to perform well. He made $630,000 last season.
Here are all the other notable players who have played more than one game so far this season: Curtis Lofton (8), Deone Bucannon (8), Malcolm Jenkins (9), Jordan Richards (9).
3-4 defensive line Don't get it mixed up: Phillips does an excellent job of getting the most out of his finest players, but his game plan has stayed almost unchanged throughout his coaching tenure. "We run the 3-4 defense," Phillips remarked before last year's Super Bowl. "I've always felt like that was the best fit for me and my guys." The fact is that no matter what system you're in, you need speed at every position to be successful. That's why many teams have turned to a 4-3 defense, which can be more flexible than others because it doesn't require three straight tackles or two linebackers as deep as Phillips' squad is capable of playing.
Why do people call it the 3-4 defense? It's been called many things over the years, but most commonly used terms are "3-4 defense" or "34 defense". The reason people say it's a 3-4 defense is because there are three inside linebackers and four outside linebackers on the field at one time. There are also two defensive ends, but they usually drop back into coverage more often than not.
The fact is that nobody calls their defense 34 anymore. Even Phillips admits he has his boys play some positions they aren't exactly suited for, like center or left guard.
But he does have some big boys up front on occasion.
During a 36-35 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, he had five combined tackles and a season-high 2.5 sacks on December 30, 2018. In 11 games and 11 starts, he had 30 combined tackles (23 solo), seven pass deflections, and one pass deflection. He received an overall grade of 70.4 from PFF, which ranked 18th among all edge defenders in 2018.
In 2017, he started 15 of 16 games for the New York Giants and recorded 57 combined tackles (47 solo), six passes defensed, and one interception. The Giants released him on March 13, 2019. He finished his two-year career with 87 combined tackles (72 solo), nine passes defensed, and one interception in 16 games and 16 starts.
Vernon entered the NFL as a first-round pick (17th overall) of the Giants in 2016. He played only eight games that year due to injury and didn't record any statistics, but in 2017 he started every game and recorded 35 combined tackles (30 solo). As a rookie, he was voted by his teammates as the Ed Block Courage Award winner, which is given to a player who has shown courage under pressure during their career. The award is presented by the National Football Foundation (NFH).
Vernon will look to continue his success in 2019 and become a mainstay on the New York Giants' defense.
Brandon Jones 0 (safety)
| Total tackles: | 62 |
|---|---|
| Sacks: | 1.0 |
| Forced fumbles: | 1 |
| Pass deflections: | 1 |
| Interceptions: | 0 |
Defense
| Solo Tackles | 41 |
|---|---|
| Assists | 8 |
| Forced Fumbles | 4 |
| Stops | |
| Sacks | 7 |
During his sophomore season, Johnson had nine tackles and a sack and one tackle during his freshman season. Johnson has 95 tackles, two sacks, and three pass deflections as a junior. He has nine tackles against North Dakota State in the season opener on September 4, 2010. Johnson was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Johnson played defensive end in college but will likely play outside linebacker in the NFL. He is listed at 6'3" and 260 pounds and has a 40-inch vertical jump and 930-pound bench press.
In 2014, he led all rookie linebackers with 99 tackles. He also had 3 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl after his first year in the league. Johnson was named the AFC's Defensive Player of the Month for October 2016 after he recorded five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and forced a fumble in four games. He became only the second Jaguar to win the award twice, the other being Derek Jarvis in 2002 and 2003.
Johnson was voted by his peers as the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year. He is the first Jaguar to win this award since John Gatty in 1985.
He currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars and returns punts and kicks.
Dareus has 32 tackles (23 solo), one sack, and one forced fumble in 15 games this season. Dareus had one of his least productive statistical seasons, but he still helped the Jaguars finish seventh in total defense (311.4 YPG) while starting at defensive tackle. He started all 15 games for the second consecutive year.
In 2015, Dareus had 31 tackles (24 solo) and three sacks in 16 games. He received some criticism for not getting to the quarterback more often, but coach Gus Bradley said after the season that they wanted to keep Dareus fresh for the playoffs. The Jaguars went on to play in the AFC Championship Game after making the playoffs for the first time since 2010. They lost to Denver by a score of 28-24.
Dareus was drafted third overall by the Jaguars in 2014. He is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2016 NFL draft.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc.
