In an audio file released Thursday, former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams urged his players to target concussion-addled wide receiver Kyle Williams, among other players, before an NFC divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers in January.
"We need to find out in the first two series of the game, the little wide receiver, No. 10, about his concussion," Gregg Williamswas recorded as saying. "We need to (expletive) put a lick on him, move him to decide. He needs to decide."
The Saints weren't alone.
In the Giants' NFC Championship Game overtime victory over the 49ers, Kyle Williams' concussion history was a talking point for New York's special-teams unit, according to linebacker Jacquian Williams and wide receiver Devin Thomas.
It was Jacquian Williams who stripped Kyle Williams on the game-deciding punt-return fumble, which was recovered by Thomas.
"The thing is, we knew (Kyle Williams) had four concussions," Jacquian Williams told NYMag.com after the game. "So that was our biggest thing -- was to take him out of the game."
Thomas spoke of similar tactics: "He's had a lot of concussions. We were just like, 'We got to put a hit on that guy.' (Defensive back Tyler) Sash did a great job hitting him early, and he looked kind of dazed when he got up. I feel like that made a difference, and he coughed it up."
It was a news item that came and went without much fanfare in the days leading up the Giants' win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.
Here's the question: Was New York's strategy markedly different from what Williams asked his Saints players to do?
