New York Giants’ Jason Pierre-Paul sets targets for next season – NFL News
New York Giants’ defensive end, Jason Pierre-Paul (JPP), was phenomenal in the last National Football League (NFL) season in which Giants won the Super Bowl.
The performance of the young player, who was playing just second season of his professional career, was crucial in the team’s success throughout the regular and postseason.
As Giants prepare to start their camping for the next NFL season in which they will be defending the title, JPP has expressed hopes of improving his game-play further and register more impressive record.
The 23-year-old defenseman signed a five-year, $20.05 million deal with the Giants in 2010. In his rookie year, he played 16 games without starting any and made 30 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
In his second season, he was given the starting role, apparently because veteran defensive end, Osi Umenyiora, was injured.
JPP proved his selection right and posted a total of 86 tackles and 16.5 sacks in 16 games he played in the regular season. He started 12 games. He carried on the momentum into the playoffs and performed equally well there.
JPP’s transformation from a rookie into a more mature player indeed deserves applause, but the player is not yet satisfied with his performance.
He acknowledges that his performance added strength to the team’s defensive unit, but thinks that there is a room for further improvement.
While talking to ESPN Radio, JPP said that he knew he would play well in the 2011 season and hoped to beat his own record in the next season.
“I knew I was going to come in and have a great year (in 2011), but not like that. Just like this year, I'm going to come in and do better than I did last year. ... I think I should do even more. 16.5 (sacks), I didn't even know I was going to do that, but
I got it."
During the interview, JPP also gave credit of his success to his seniors, Justin Tuck and Umenyiora, who, the player said, helped him get confidence. JPP said of both players:
"They taught me a lot ... They just tell me, 'You know, just go out and play.' And if I'm having problems, I go to them. I look at them as a big brother. They just told me, 'Just play the game, and just be yourself.' And that's what I do."
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