Nick Falato goes through some core tendencies of Don “Wink” Martindale’s defensive philosophy
The New York Giants found Patrick Graham’s replacement in former Ravens’ defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale. Martindale comes from the Buddy Ryan coaching tree – a pressure-heavy, man coverage, scheme that has different tendencies than Patrick Graham.
Martindale is a master at manipulating opposing protection packages by using deception through simulated pressures/creepers to gain free rushers at the quarterback. He was pressure-happy as defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, but not to a detriment in certain cases, specifically against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Ravens 36-35 Week 2 victory.
There are lots of pros, and some cons, to Martindale’s aggressive philosophy. There will be a more extensive breakdown of Martindale’s scheme coming soon, but I wanted to assemble a few plays that caught my eye and provide a brief breakdown in video format. Let’s look at some of the ways Martindale tries to create chaos with his defense. I hope you enjoy!