New York Giants 2013 Season Preview: Why the Nickel Package Will Be Key

July 2, 2013   ·   Joe Diglio   ·   Jump to comments

In the 2011-12 NFL season, the New York Giants won the Super Bowl thanks to their defense. In particular, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell relied on the team's nickel package to defend opposing receivers while still getting pressure in the backfield. In order to be successful this season, the Giants will have to lean on their nickel defense yet again.
Put simply, the nickel defense uses a fifth defensive back, known as a nickel back, instead of the usual four that are seen in base defenses. In the case of New York's standard 4-3 defense, this means substituting out a linebacker, creating a 4-2-5 formation.
Why is this formation so important? As Bleacher Report's James Dudko points out, the nickel package has become the go-to formation for NFL defenses. It's versatile enough to defend against the pass-heavy offenses that have become the league norm while also being able to combat wacky formations and plays, such as the Wildcat or read-option.
Speaking of versatility, th...

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