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New York Giants, Rex Ryan Aren’t a Good Match

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By @mturnerny

Rex Ryan New York Giants

Tim Farrell/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

With both of New York’s football teams having poor years, there will very likely be some coaching changes on both teams. This will likely be New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan’s last year at the helm, and New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin will be under a lot of pressure. Coughlin will probably stay, however, but defensive coordinator Perry Fewell seems like this year’s scapegoat, along the same lines of Kevin Gilbride last year. With Ryan looking for a job and the Giants looking for a new defensive coordinator, could there be a match?

Well, no.

And the first reason isn’t even Ryan’s inability to keep quiet and let his defense do the speaking for him. The first reason is a fundamental reason. Ryan coaches a 3-4 defense, the Giants currently employ a 4-3 defense. That’s not to say teams can’t switch between the two because that’s not all too uncommon, it’s just to say the Giants aren’t in the position to make the change.

Rex Ryan has done a pretty good job of drafting defensive players and turning them into playmakers very quickly. His young defensive line is among the best in the league. The Giants could definitely use his know-how and creativity to improve their defensive line and hide some of their weaknesses. But as bad as the Giants’ line has been, the linebackers are probably playing worse. The 3-4 defense require more linebackers than the 4-3 does, and replacing the Giants’ average defensive linemen for their subpar linebackers would be getting further from the problem.

In recent, less successful years, Ryan has been talking less trash and that’s a step in the right direction for him. He still has a bit of a reputation as one who talks the talk but doesn’t walk the walk. The Giants’ organization rarely looks for those outgoing coaches. When they search for a new defensive coordinator, they’ll keep to the same M.O.

The one benefit of not only the Giants hiring Ryan as a defensive coordinator, but anyone who signs him, is that the coordinators are given significantly less media attention and with that, less time receiving questions. Taking Ryan out of the spotlight could be perfect for him. And if it weren’t for those preexisting issues, it could be perfect for the Giants as well.

A final reason why the Giants shouldn’t look for Ryan to save their defense is, regardless of how he goes, Coughlin won’t be coaching for too much longer (probably). It seems that offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is the heir in waiting. Bringing in Ryan, a previous head coach, would only create more turmoil as to what happens to the Giants in the post-Coughlin era. On one hand, having a previous head coach replace Coughlin is appealing because of the experience. On the other hand, Ryan has had a fairly poor reign as HC of the Jets, and that’s not only because of his record.

While Ryan will certainly be an exciting figure to think about with the Giants, there are just too many reasons for why there really isn’t a match between the two.

Matt Turner is a New York Mets writer for www.RantSports.com. “Like” him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter @MturnerNY, or add him to your network on LinkedIn or Google.

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