Friday, August 08, 2008

Player Spotlight: WR Steve Smith
By G. Bahr

Q: Rookies often don’t do much more than sit their first year but you’ve already established yourself as a key performer on the Giants. Were you surprised at how easily you fit seamlessly into the offense? And what do you think enabled that to happen?A: I don’t really know, but I think it was just that the coaches knew what kind of player they wanted to draft. And I feel I fit right into this offense because I like to go over the middle and make catches. I wasn’t surprised but I was happy because they put me in early. They let me go through the fire and all the tough things that happen in a game and during the course of the season early, so I was comfortable in the playoffs.

Q: Do you feel you’re ready to challenge for the #2 or even the #1 receiver spot yet?A: I don’t know. I think my skills (are good enough) that I could be a #2 or even a #1, but those guys have been here for so long, that they know the offense in and out. I just feel lucky to be able to watch and learn from Amani and Plax.

Q: Rookies don’t usually know much about the skills of the veterans on the teams to which they’re drafted. I remember after the draft, you asked if Amani was still playing. Now after watching Amani and Plax for a season, are there aspects of their games that you can emulate?A: Every day I pick up stuff from them. From Amani, it’s how he uses his body and uses his arms to get leverage on players and on the defender when the ball is in the air. He does that better than any other player I have seen. Plaxico uses his feet really good off the line of scrimmage. For a big guy, he really has to get the corner to move so he can get into his route so I think I’ve learned that from him.

Q: Coming off your rookie season, what aspects of your game are you satisfied with and what aspects would you still like to refine?A: I’m satisfied because we won the Super Bowl so that’s the ultimate satisfaction, I think. But I want to get better at learning the offense. And I want to know how to pick up the hot routes and the blitz better so I can play faster.


Q: You had several drops last year and I don’t remember you ever dropping many at USC. Did that concern you?A: I’m not perfect; I dropped some just like everybody else in college. I’m normal. But no, I don’t think I’m concerned about drops; you just have to let that go.

Q: Are there any pass patterns that you particularly like to run or that suit you particularly well?
A: I like to run slants and curls. I like to work on the things that I need to get better at. Those are the things that I like to do so I’ll become more comfortable doing them. I feel like a curl route is kind of tough because you have to come back to the ball and you have to come back to the quarterback hard and watch the ball. And it’s a tough ball to catch so I like to work at it and get better. As for a slant, I feel those were tough for me too, but I’ve been doing them so long now that I feel really comfortable with them. I feel like I can work different releases now. Now when they call a slant, I’m just really comfortable out there.

Q: Would you rather line up in the slot or outside if you could game plan?
A: I don’t know, but I think slot right now because we have two great receivers outside, and I can work that slot pretty good and make things happen.

Q: What’s the advantage to your being in the slot?Steve: I use my quickness and also I’m a pretty patient guy in there. You don’t want to rush too much; you want to let the play develop. I think that I use my quickness and patience to my advantage.

Q: You’re familiar with the new no-force-out rule because it’s the same as college rules. Do you have any problem with it being added to the NFL rule book?
A: I just want to catch the ball and when I catch it I want to get my feet in. Now in the NFL you have to be more conscious about getting your feet in because you have to get two feet in so that’s kind of important for me. I just want to catch the ball. Whatever the rule is if I catch the ball I feel pretty good about myself.