New York Giants running back David Wilson fumbled twice Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Not only did it land him back in coach Tom Coughlin's doghouse, it also left at least one veteran teammate wondering if the first-time starter can be counted on as the bell cow.
Appearing on WFAN-AM in New York on Tuesday, safety Antrel Rolle emphasized that Wilson now has two options: "He can either get in the tank, or he can man up."
Rolle went on to predict that Wilson indeed will "man up."
Although the Giantssigned veteran Brandon Jacobs on Tuesday, it was with the goal of filling the sidekick role that opened when Andre Brown broke his leg. Coughlin isn't ready to throw in the towel on Wilson, last year's first-round draft pick, who clearly is one of the most physicallygifted running backs in the NFL.
After stating Sunday night that Wilson will retain a major role, Coughlin reiterated Monday that the tailback's fumbling problem is fixable.
"David Wilson's a very talented young man that we need on our football team to be productive," Coughlin said. "We've been down this road before. We think we can have an impact on him being a better ball carrier."
Coughlin has reason to believe Wilson's technique can be improved because the coach helped Tiki Barber cure a similar ball-security problem one decade ago.
Barber told USA Today this week that Wilson's problem is mechanical, not mental.
"He has to ... limit ball exposure before contact, not try to hold on afterward, as happened in his second fumble," Barber said. "You have to have an easy methodology to anticipate contact, cover your four points of contact, then go to the ground or keep running."
As was the case with Barber, Coughlin understands that he has a dynamic back who can beat angles and outrun defenders for big plays.
The Giants' plan is to maximize one of their most talented players, not banish him to the bench.
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