One of the elements of what had looked like a dominant defense to be exposed against the Saints was in the secondary. The Giants allowed four TD passes in the game and could not get the Saints' offense off the field in third-down situations.

The safety position has been hurt this season by injuries (FS Kenny Phillips is out for the season, and SS Michael Johnson had been bothered by neck and shoulder injuries) and by the fact that starting CB Aaron Ross remains out. The safeties have been asked to help out the corners more in coverage because the Giants have been a man down there, as well.

It was clear in the loss to the Saints that the safeties were either just slightly out of position to make the play or that their position was good but the execution — going up and making a play on the ball — fell short. Head coach Tom Coughlin said both of those areas are correctable.

"You challenge them to be in the right place, see the ball better. Have a sense for the ball and where the ball is and exactly where the defender is, what the defender is going to do," he said.

"You can't just play (the receiver's) eyes; you have to play his hands and the way in which he prepares himself when the ball comes. You have to study those things and see those things. And there is always improvement; there is always coaching involved. And we are going to do a better job of that."

The Giants appear limited in what they can do in terms of changing personnel. Right now, Johnson, C.C. Brown and Aaron Rouse are the top three safeties, and all three are rotating in on the base defense and the various sub packages. Perhaps Rouse, who earned a reputation for making plays on the ball in Green Bay, could see a little more field time. And when Ross returns, it's possible that a cornerback could slide to safety in some situations. When asked if the latter was an option, Coughlin said: "I sure would like to get our whole roster back."

Of course, it's not all on the safeties. The pass rush has been electric at times, but it was nearly invisible against the Saints. Coughlin pointed out that coverage is a three-phase operation.

"We are very much in need of all three phases to play well together, and I'm talking about on defense: the front, the 'backers and the back end," he said. "But we need to pressure. We need to be there for the quarterback.

"So, there is a combination, really."

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