EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -Word has gotten around the NFL about New York Giants receiver Steve Smith.
Defenses are no longer ignoring the third-year wideout, and the last two weeks have been a clear indication of that even though Smith still leads the NFC with 45 catches and is second in the league overall behind New England’s Wes Welker.
In games against New Orleans and Arizona, defenses either double covered Smith high and low, had a cornerback or linebacker hit him coming off the line or rolled their coverages to Smith’s side of the field.
His two-game totals: Eight catches for 113 yards and no touchdowns.
“I am getting double covered, people are giving me more attention, and that’s fine,” Smith said Wednesday after the Giants (5-2) practiced for Sunday’s NFC showdown in Philadelphia against the Eagles (4-2). “If that is going to create more openings for other guys, so be it.”
second-year pro Mario Manningham has touchdown catches in two of his last three games. He should have had them in three straight but dropped a sure thing in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 24-17 loss to Arizona.
The next step for Smith is to find a way to beat the double coverages. In recent years, he has been able to turn to Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer for advice.
Burress is in prison after pleading guilty to an attempted possession of a weapon charge, while Toomer is out of football.
“Even just the easy routes I remember running last year, this year now, I am getting jammed by linebackers and stuff,” Smith said. “I have to be aware of that and take my game to the next level.”
Smith noticed the change for the first time against the Saints, including both double coverages and coverages he has never seen before. He had a chance to beat the extra attention in the first half when he ran a skinny post pattern and Eli Manning overthrow him on what would have been a sure touchdown.
Smith said seeing new defenses has made him appreciate what some of the game’s great receivers see every game. The good news this weekend is that the Eagles play a lot of man-to-man coverage with cornerbacks Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel in a scheme that stresses getting pressure on the quarterback.
backfield and you can run by them sometimes. We’re not going to be surprised if we are wide open down the field on a play.”
Smith almost guaranteed that the Giants will have a chance to make big plays against the team that embarrassed them in the NFC semifinal last season.
“We just have to make the play,” he said.
Smith said it’s easy to avoid a jam by a cornerback at the line of scrimmage but he said sometimes the hits by linebackers surprise you. He is not surprised by either the extra attention or the hits, saying all that means is that Manning has to go to another receiver.
That’s the annoying part.
“I want all the catches I can get,” Smith said.
Smith said he learned one thing in Sunday night’s game against the Cardinals. Very late in the fourth quarter he ran a seam pattern and Manning threw him the ball. Cornerback Michael Adams was beaten on the play and threw his hands up without looking for the ball.
However, a penalty for faceguarding can’t be called unless there is contact and Smith made the mistake of not going back for the ball and initiating the contact.
“I know now,” Smith said.
Smith said he, Nicks and Manningham are learning how to deal with double coverages by committee. The only veteran who can help them is Derek Hagan.
Smith said he might twitter Toomer for some advice.
eek against the Cardinals defense, throwing three interceptions. Arizona did an excellent job of showing blitz and dropping out of them or disguising their blitzes and getting good pressure on Manning.
“He has the toughest job out there,” Smith said. “He has to know what we are all doing at the same time and get by the rush and still make a great throw. We have to help him as much as we can.”
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