USAT: "Phillips adding new vigor to Giants' secondary" ST Related

[FrFan]

Rookie Focus: Phillips adding new vigor to Giants' secondary

By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY

The New York Giants' Kenny Phillips is not afraid to aim high. He chose uniform number 21 with the hope of emulating the on-field accomplishments of late Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor.

"I respected the way he played," Phillips says, "and I respected him as a person." Taylor was shot to death last November during a break-in at his Miami-Dade home.

POWER RANKINGS: Giants steady at No. 2

Phillips is wearing Taylor's number well. The 31st overall pick has been a steady contributor for the defending Super Bowl champions, who are riding high at 7-1 after a 35-14 pounding of the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday. And his first career interception was a big one, helping the Giants to a 21-14 victory in Pittsburgh in Week 8.

THE PLAYER

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• Hometown: Miami

• Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 197

• College highlights: Made 33 starts in three seasons at Miami. His 203 tackles included 133 solo shots and 15 stops for losses. He also made one fumble recovery and forced three fumbles to go with seven interceptions and 13 passes defensed. Fourth Hurricanes safety drafted in the opening round this decade, following Ed Reed, Taylor and Brandon Meriweather.

• Scouting report: Looks to have everything necessary to develop into top-level safety. Covers a great deal of ground. Relishes opportunity to level ballcarriers with huge hits. Coaches had to constantly remind him during training camp to refrain from taking shots at teammates. Willing to do whatever is needed to stuff the run.

• Quotable: "He makes his share of mistakes, but we never complain about guys who play fast and make mistakes and Kenny does that. He plays fast and he's been making some big plays and hopefully he continues to do that." —Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo

THE PERSON

• I knew I was in the NFL: "The first game of the season (against Washington), when we ran out of the tunnel and hearing the crowd screaming and seeing the guys all excited. I said to myself, 'This is what I've been waiting for.' "

• Biggest adjustment: "Learning the scheme defensively. There is a lot of detail I need to get down."

• Best advice: "A lot of guys in the secondary have been telling me, 'It's a long season. Get your massages. Eat right. Take care of your body.' "

• First purchase after signing: "I bought my mother (Taranda Wilson) a black Mercedes Benz for her birthday. She was shocked."

• Role model: "Ed Reed is one of the guys I really admire. I watched him at Miami and with me going to Miami, I keep in touch with him. I can call him up and ask him about anything and he'll have the perfect answer."

• Favorite off-field activity: "Bowling. I'm not really good, but I'm working on it. My high score is 140- or 150-something."

• Can Giants repeat? "I definitely think so. Even though the guys have one ring, I can tell they are still hungry for another one. I'm going to do my best to help them get it."

• NFL dream: "Ten interceptions, Pro Bowl, Super Bowl."

[pjfootballer]

Sorry Kenny. You're a POOR MAN'S Sean Taylor. Not nearly the size, not anywhere near the speed and you hit like a girl comparted to Sean.

[CaLLaHaN]

Sorry Kenny. You're a POOR MAN'S Sean Taylor. Not nearly the size, not anywhere near the speed and you hit like a girl comparted to Sean.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[TXREDSKINS44]

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

If your going to disagree then at least say something to back up your claim rather than roll your eyes.

[Big Blue Joe]

Sorry Kenny. You're a POOR MAN'S Sean Taylor. Not nearly the size, not anywhere near the speed and you hit like a girl comparted to Sean.

Am I missing something? NFL.com listed Sean Taylor as 6'2'' 212 pounds and Kenny Phillips as 6'2'' 210 pounds. Similarly Sean Taylor ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at the Combine compared to Phillips 4.54 40.

[MrSilverMaC]

The hit he got flagged for against Mewelde Moore reminded me of Sean a lot, especially when Phillips got up and shook his head like Sean used to.

[ntotoro]

Am I missing something? NFL.com listed Sean Taylor as 6'2'' 212 pounds and Kenny Phillips as 6'2'' 210 pounds. Similarly Sean Taylor ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at the Combine compared to Phillips 4.54 40.

Taylor was heavier his first two seasons, closer to 240-245. It was the preseason before '07 when he became a vegetarian (IIRC) and dropped something like 25lbs before the season started.

[WhoRUSupposed2Be]

Please, no more Sean Taylor comparisons.

[ptr77]

Taylor was heavier his first two seasons, closer to 240-245. It was the preseason before '07 when he became a vegetarian (IIRC) and dropped something like 25lbs before the season started.

I find it hard to believe taylor played at 245, he would of looked as big as marcus washington out there. The highest i heard him get up to was 235 and even that is massive, i think the max he could of played at was 225. I also believe the last year he played he was trimmed down to 215, which would explain why he was so good that year in the centerfield role and had fixed almost all the miscues he had in earlier seasons. I would say for sure Talyor hit harder, but by no means does he make phillips look like a girl.

[jnhay]

Am I missing something? NFL.com listed Sean Taylor as 6'2'' 212 pounds and Kenny Phillips as 6'2'' 210 pounds. Similarly Sean Taylor ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at the Combine compared to Phillips 4.54 40.

There's no way he was 212 when the season started. Their sizes aren't that far apart though. That said, you can't compare the two.

[NFC Beast]

Kenny has all the tools needed to play like Sean Taylor, but right now, he isnt even close to Taylors play. As a Giants fan , I was very saddened to hear about ST's murder. He was one of the best safeties in the league and probably would have been a top 10 safety in the history of the NFL. I honestly enjoyed watching him play with the skins, even against us.

That probowl hit though, was a little uncalled for but hey, its football not golf.

Kenny definately shows flashes of ST though, but hasnt hit that level yet. But hey, he is a rookie! He definately was the pop our secondary needed to scare WRs off routes.

Go Giants.

:2cents:

[skinfan2k]

Actually Sean Taylor did play at 245 his first two years in the league. He then cut down his weight near 210-215

[Area51]

I've seen Kenny Philips play and I think he is going to be one of the better safeties in the league eventually. But to compare him to Sean Taylor is just ridiculous. I respect Philips for the fact that he wants to play like Sean, looked up to him, etc., but no way can anyone, Giants fan or not, honestly believe that Philips has the talent level and potential of Sean Taylor.

BTW, Taylor's first year in the league he was 232 pounds, FWIW.

Laron Landry has more potential/athleticism than Philips does and you'd be very hard pressed to find any Skins fan saying that he has a higher upside than Taylor had.

BTW, you can't really use combine #s when trying to compare another DB with Taylor. Taylor participated in the combine with an injury, and he KNEW that he didn't have to blow scouts away on the stopwatch to be a sure-fire top 10 pick. Everyone believed that Sean Taylor was the best player in the ENTIRE 04 Draft, REGARDLESS OF POSITION. Neither Landry (who had to blow away scouts with combine #s) and ESPECIALLY Philips (who wasn't even considered the top safety of his class by a lot of scouts) have the talent/athleticism/potential that ST had. Let it rest.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

Sean>Kenny

Stop comparing safeties to him, please.

[LoudMouth12thMan]

The only thing similar to both is their numbers. No offense, I like Phillips' game, but he'll never be Sean Taylor. Chris Horton is closer to the caliber of a Sean Taylor than Phillips is at this point. Quite frankly, Landry is much more like Taylor than Phillips. Again, I'm not knockin' Phillips, but to me, he doesn't even come close or look as if he's going to be anywhere near as skillful, athletic, or scary as ST was. Current players like Wilson, Sanders, Polomalu and Landry (maybe Horton by the looks of things...still a little early to say IMO) play like ST played. Phillips is not even in the conversation right now. :2cents:

[pjfootballer]

Am I missing something? NFL.com listed Sean Taylor as 6'2'' 212 pounds and Kenny Phillips as 6'2'' 210 pounds. Similarly Sean Taylor ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at the Combine compared to Phillips 4.54 40.

If you look at the OP's post, it says Phillips is 6-2 and 197. ST was 6-3 and 215 to 220. I never said anything about speed. Phillps IS a poor man's Sean Taylor. He doesn't have the combination that Sean had. Phillips will be a good safety and I'm not saying he sucks, but Sean was a work of art as far as athletes go. They call them (5-Tool) players in baseball. That's ST. Phillips probably would be a 4-tool.