Giants Daily Blitz Blog

Anatomy of a Play: Brown’s Second INT

Down and Distance: 1st and 20 at NYG 31
Time: 12:07, 4th QTR
Defense: Cover 2
Situation: Giants leading 42-27

The Play: Drew Brees pass deep middle intended for Jimmy Graham INTERCEPTED by Stevie Brown at NYG 8. S.Brown pushed ob at NO 22 for 70 yards (Jermon Bushrod).

What Brown saw: “I have Web [cornerback Corey Webster], who’s the Cover 2 corner. He doesn’t have anything in the flat, so he can stay onto the No. 1 receiver a little bit longer. [Linebacker Michael] Boley is my hook dropper underneath No. 2. So as the Cover 2 safety, I’m reading both these [receivers] and I’m looking and see Brees – it just happened so quick. It happened so quick to talk about it. So whenever I’m back here in Cover 2, you want to make sure you have a good amount of depth so you can be able to break either way because there are two receivers that are going to be your threat, threatening your zone.”

Intended for TE Jimmy Graham: “Since he threw it to Graham — with him being like 6-6 or so, a basketball player, he can jump pretty high – the ball is usually thrown up there for him to get him and only him to get it. So I wanted to be able to make sure I came around him to pick off the ball without colliding into him.”

On the 70-yard return: “They say go to the near sideline, but I had to cut it back because there was more green grass. I see [Justin] Tuck pick up the fullback, Prince [Amukamara] pick up the quarterback, and 74 [Bushrod] is the fastest offensive lineman in the game.”

Outcome: Four plays after Brown’s seventh interception of the season, Lawrence Tynes tacked on a 39-yard field goal, extending the lead to 45-27. The Giants eventually won 52-27.