The New York Giants surprised some in the NFL world during the first round of the NFL Draft. With the fifth-overall pick, the Giants used it on Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. The move was considered a shocking one because the team already had a surplus of pass rushers with Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter. But Giants head coach John Harbaugh had a plan for Reese. Instead of lining up on the defensive line, Harbaugh said he was going to play Reese as an off-ball linebacker.
Even though the decision was a bit out there, it made sense, given Reese's freakish athletic ability and speed. It made sense to have one of the faster players on the outside in the middle of the field, looking for the ball carrier. The Giants saw the benefits of this move on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
In the Giants' 12-7 win, Reese had his breakout game in his third career start. While safety Jevon Holland is getting all of the attention due to his game-winning interception, Reese led the team with 13 total tackles, including a tackle for a loss. As a result, Reese received a game ball from Harbaugh for his efforts.
Arvel Reese given game-ball after huge role in Giants' Week 3 win over Titans
"He was definitely all over the field today. He sprang onto the scene today," said Harbaugh.
Reese showcased that if you are holding onto the football and running down the open field, that he will catch up to you and make you pay. That was evident on histackle for loss on running back Tony Pollard, who logged a reception on a swing pass from Ward. Pollard had no chance of getting to the line of scrimmage once Reese sensed that the running back was getting the football.
There was also the fourth-and-five play that the Titans ran late in the third quarter. Looking to cut into the Giants' lead, Ward looked for an open receiver in the end zone. The thing is, he was pressured by both Carter and Reese, forcing an incomplete pass. Just look at how quick Reese was on that play when lined up on the edge on a blitz play.
Even look on the last play of the game with the Titans threatening to win on a walk-off in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter. Much like he did with Pollard earlier, Reese sensed Ward was running towards the left sidelines, potentially on a scrmable to the end zone. Reese immediately ran towards Ward, and had a great chance at stopping him if the quarterback had chosen to run for it. But, Ward then forced a pass to the end zone, which was picked off by Holland.
Reese showed how much of an impact he had on the game both on the stat sheet, and on plays that aren't logged. He's making an impact in all facets on defense, and is showing that he will be a nightmare to gameplan against.
Arvell Reese admits he had 'chip on his shoulder' entering Week 3
This was quite the statement game from Reese, a week after the Giants defense, as a whole, underperformed against the Los Angeles Rams. Let's face it, even without Puka Nacua, the Rams were still a pain to play against.
After the win over the Titans, Reese told ESPN's Jordan Raanan that he had a "chip on his shoulder" because he wasn't happy with how he played against the Rams last Monday. Reese said he has "way higher standards" for himself.
"After a loss, you always want to self-reflect and see what you could be doing better. I just self-reflected on that and came out this week with a chip on my shoulder, and it's really how I approach every game. But after a loss, you always chase the wins.
This is what Giants fans will love to hear. Reese is his own toughest critic, and he's always looking to see how he can improve his game. While it was the Rams, who entered the season as Super Bowl favorites, the Giants lost to, Reese believed he could have played better.
There is still plenty of room for Reese to grow, but three games into his career, he's shown that he will be a force on New York's defense for years to come.
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