NY Giants DC Dennard Wilson won’t tolerate ‘traitors to the defense’

The New York Giants surrendered 34 straight points to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson was critical on Thursday of the effort of players he felt did not hustle to the ball, calling it “unacceptable” and calling them “traitors to the defense.”

“A few plays got out, especially in the pass game, because of missed tackles. Then last week, we’re not happy, and I wasn’t happy with our effort running to the ball,” Wilson said. “We put some stuff on tape that was not characteristic of a New York Giant defense, and it’s unacceptable, and it will be changed.

“I look at guys that don’t run [to] the ball, and I call them traitors because they’re traitors to the defense. At the end of the day, when you have a traitor to the defense, you either have to make adjustments to get them off the field, you have to get somebody else on the field, or they have to correct their behaviors. Last week was one of those things where we did not, on every play, run to the ball, and it was unacceptable.”

Wilson did not specify the play or plays he was referring to. He was adamant, though, that he won’t tolerate it.

“The guys know it, and this week when you see them out there, they will be flying around 100 miles per hour with a hair on fire,” Wilson said. “It’s 11-1 when you play defense. It’s 11 guys humming to the ball, and when you don’t do that, you don’t erase plays. We had a few plays that got out on us.

“Everybody’s hunting. It’s probably not a touchdown. You get them down on the ground. It’s not an explosive play. You eliminate explosive plays with energy and effort. That’s how you eliminate it.”

The Giants were one of the worst tackling team in the NFL in Week 6.

“Last week was one of our worst tackling games for whatever reason,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he has no issue calling out players

“We confront everything,” Wilson said. “If you’re not doing something to help the team and you’re hurting the team, if your effort is bad, if you have a lack of toughness, it gets pointed out, and it gets pointed out in front of everybody. Not only in a defensive meeting, it gets pointed out in the full team meeting.

“When you have behaviors that’s unacceptable, we’re not going to accept it. If you don’t change the behaviors, we have to change the players.”