Giants LB B.J. Goodson recounts the highs and lows of his 2017 season:
This was going to be a big season for B.J. Goodson.
He earned the starting middle linebacker job during offseason workouts, showing the coaches that all the leadership requirements of the position were not too much for him, despite it only being his second season.
Things could not have gone better in his first game against the Dallas Cowboys. He tallied 18 tackles in a game where the Giants held the Cowboys' offense to just one touchdown and 19 points. Unfortunately for Goodson, a shin injury suffered against Dallas would force him to miss two games, something that would be a theme throughout the season.
Goodson hurt his ankle against the Seahawks on October 22nd, an injury he did return briefly from but eventually put him on injured reserve in late December. All in all, Goodson played just seven games, totaling 53 tackles.
"Very frustrating," Goodson said. "All the guys know how much I wanted to be out there. It was a struggle and a fight, but I have the offseason and things will get better and we'll be back."
Despite the injuries, the year was not a total loss for Goodson. He learned a lot. "The linebacker positon in the NFL isn't too big for me," he said. "I enjoyed it and I embraced it. Looking forward to the future."
Goodson's command was especially evident in how he handled the pre-snap responsibilities of the position, like relaying the play-calls and calling any audibles.
"I definitely enjoyed [doing that]," He said. "It was something I embraced and I had fun with it. The guys trust me and they made it fun and easy for me to just fly around and play ball." Goodson, the Giants' fourth-round pick in 2016, made a big jump in responsibility and production in his second season, and hopes 2018 will bring more improvement in different area.
"All around from every aspect," Goodson said. "Everything can get better and everything will get better because the work ethic has to be there. I need the work on it now mentality. Everything and every aspect has to be better."
With a new defensive coordinator and potentially a new scheme coming to town with James Bettcher, Goodson and the rest of the defense could be in line for a lot of change in 2018.
"Looking forward to getting back to what the culture is with the Giants," Goodson said. "Looking forward to the future. It's bright."
