Manningham says Giants can exploit Edelman
Dwight Lowery of the Jets dives to tackle Julian Edelman. (Sept. 20, 2009) Credit: David Pokress
INDIANAPOLIS -- Mario Manningham is already putting double-moves on Julian Edelman.
Last week, he said that the Giants would be able to exploit the Patriots' receiver-turned-nickelback. Tuesday, he backed away from that a bit. "It's not like that," he said. "I respect him as a player."
But then just minutes later, Manningham was back to challenging Edelman again.
"He plays wide receiver," Manningham said. "He's not a real defensive back. Did he get drafted as a defensive back? We have a little bond going on [among Giants receivers] knowing that we can beat somebody. We're confident. I hope he's out there."
If Manningham can run a stop-and-go route against Edelman as effectively Sunday as he did verbally, he might be in the running for Super Bowl MVP. Or someone else.
Victor Cruz was on NFL Network Tuesday night and was asked what will happen if Edelman is lined up covering him.
"If it's a pass play," he said, "I'd better be getting the ball." Cruz added that Edelman has done "an OK job" but "you can tell that he's not comfortable."
Manningham and Cruz aren't the first to doubt Edelman's abilities. Kyle Arrington, the former Hofstra defensive back and a starting cornerback for the Patriots, remembered the guy he used to line up against in practice was suddenly lined up next to him.
"This should be interesting," Arrington said of his first thought. "But he's done a great job. He's out there throwing his body around and he's a better tackler than I would have thought."
Arrington also said that he is "feisty." So naturally, Edelman is not going to back down from the challenge of covering the Giants' receivers or their pregame jabs.
"I'm not really worried about what Mario Manningham is saying right now," Edelman said. "I'm more focused on doing my job, and that is preparing right now. We will see if that opportunity comes ahead of us in the game."
Edelman, a third-year player who has 48 career receptions, has been playing defense since November, shortly after the Giants beat the Patriots. He was pressed into service because of injuries in Week 10 against the Jets and has been a two-way player since. He said that he doesn't feel like he's been picked on much.
"You would think," he said of being targeted, "but I don't think I've had that many balls caught on me. Not to say that I've been doing such a great job, but the coaches have done a great job of helping me out with the scheme and preparing me each week on what I have to focus on, instead of focusing on the big picture of the defense. [They] are just giving me my little things to focus on when I have my opportunity to get in there and have a chance to play."
"I'm confident . . . in whoever we have out there," Arrington said. "Everybody knows what job they specifically have to do and we're all confident that they're going to get it done.""
