Giants miss Jeremy Shockey's blocking ability at tight end

Giants miss Jeremy Shockey's blocking ability at tight end

In case anyone needed a reminder that Jeremy Shockey was gone - as if the quiet summer wasn't a clue - it was all there on the film of the Giants' preseason opener in Detroit. And when tight ends coach Mike Pope watched it, he knew he had a lot of work to do.

There were missed assignments, missed blocks, miscommunications, incorrect routes and a slew of other mental errors. For most of the last six years, with Shockey on his side, those were things Pope didn't have to worry about.

Now he does.

"My biggest mistake as a coach is I make assumptions that these guys might know or have been through some of these experiences and that happened a little bit (in the preseason opener)," Pope said. "There were a few unique things that happened and they just caught us by surprise, because when you look at these guys, they didn't play very much last year.

"Primarily, in theory, we're basically starting over at this position."

The rebuilding job for Pope and the tight ends continues tonight, when the Giants play host to the Cleveland Browns in the defending champs' preseason home opener. It'll be a difficult test against a 3-4 defense - something the Giants won't often see. But any challenge is a good one for a young group that includes Kevin Boss, Michael Matthews, Darcy Johnson and Jerome Collins, all 24 or 25 years old.

"None of them can rent a car. None of them are old enough," said Pope, who added that this is by far the youngest group he's worked with in his 25 years as an NFL tight ends coach.

"I have so many notes that I write for them every day, I can understand why they're so confused," Pope said. "It's like trying to put out a forest fire with a garden hose. You've got stuff going on everywhere, so where do you start?"

The biggest issue appears to be in their blocking, where Shockey - a four-time Pro Bowler - was outstanding, even though it was a job he didn't like. Boss, the presumed starter in his second year out of Western Oregon, looks to be a smooth receiver with good speed and excellent hands. But all of their blocking was shaky in their preseason-opening loss to the Detroit Lions.

Pope said one of the problems is that his young tight ends are very often seeing schemes and formations and techniques that they've never seen before.

"I have to slap myself sometimes and say you can't assume that they know that. You've got to start over again," Pope said.

Pope is encouraged, though, and his tight ends are feeling more comfortable every day. Boss, in particular, said he feels a lot surer of himself and his assignments than he did as a rookie last year.

"It's been a lot better this year than it was last year for me, in terms of knowing what to do, knowing the offense, and not having to get yelled at for not being in the right spot," Boss said.

Of course, that's not enough - not when he's trying to help fill the enormous shoes left behind by Shockey. And with just 17 days left until opening night, those young tight ends have to find a way to fill those shoes quickly.

"They still don't have 'Houdini' on my door down there. It still says 'Coach,'" Pope said. "But, I'm very encouraged about the upside of these guys."




http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2008/08/17/2008-08-17_giants_miss_jeremy_shockeys_blocking_abi.html