The Giants secondary has been one of the team's biggest strengths this season:
The Purple People Eaters. The Big Blue Wrecking Crew. The Legion of Boom.
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A unit hasn't truly arrived until it receives a nickname. The Giants' secondary may be there. Tossed around for a while now in their position room, Landon Collins said the group has decided on one heading into the postseason: NYPD.
The New York Pass Defense is one of the best units in the league, ranking first in fewest offensive touchdowns allowed (25), first in red zone defense (39.5 percent), second in lowest opponent passer rating (75.8), second in points allowed per game (17.8), second in passes defensed (101), and tied for fourth in interceptions (17).
"The fans actually came up with that [nickname]," Collins said. "We were just trying to figure out what to call our group, and they came up with it. But we stuck to it. [Cornerbacks coach Tim Walton] really is the one that brings the name up all the time, and we just stuck with it. We just call ourselves NYPD." Meet the squad.
Janoris Jenkins: three interceptions, 18 passes defensed.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: six interceptions, 21 passes defenses.
Landon Collins: 125 tackles, five interceptions, four sacks, 13 passes defensed, one touchdown.
Eli Apple: one interception, seven passes defensed, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries.
Andrew Adams: one interception, five passes defensed.
Leon Hall: 31 tackles, two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, two passes defensed.
Trevin Wade: 26 tackles, three passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, one touchdown.
"Really it started with Jackrabbit [Jenkins] shutting the best receivers down since we've been playing each and every game," Collins said. "And then from that point on, we try to keep the quarterback from throwing over 300, 400 yards. [The nickname] is cool. I like it."
Together, they have earned four NFC player of the week awards, one player of the month award, and two Pro Bowl invites – for now. Just today, Rodgers-Cromartie became the first cornerback to win defensive player of the week honors for three different teams (Cardinals, Broncos and Giants) since Deion Sanders did so with the Falcons, 49ers and Ravens.
But nicknames and awards won't mean a whole lot if the NYPD can't slow down A-Rod. The Giants are preparing for their first postseason game since 2011 and will travel to face Aaron Rodgers and the streaking Packers, who won their final six games of the season by an average score of 31-19.
DRC NAMED NFC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
"Well, I think Landon is playing at a Pro Bowl, All-Pro type level," Rodgers said on a conference call with Giants reporters. "He has had a great season. We played him earlier in the year and as a young player, you just continue to get better as the experience mounts for you, so he has been playing really well.
"Janoris has had a great season for them. Having Rodgers-Cromartie with the big effort he had the last time we played them; both he and Eli [Apple] were banged up and both tried to gut it out. I think Eli ended up coming out, but Dominique was definitely dealing with an injury and playing through it. So those guys being healthy obviously helps their secondary even more and they're big time playmakers and cover guys, so I think that is the biggest thing that you have to be aware of."
Photos from memorable Wild Card Games for the New York Giants
12/27/1981: GIANTS 27, EAGLES 21 Giants quarterback Scott Brunner completed 9 of 14 passes for 96 yards and three touchdowns and cornerback Mark Haynes recovered a fumble in the end zone, giving the Giants a comfortable 27-7 lead at halftime. Running back Rob Carpenter helped the Giants control the ball the rest of way with 161 rushing yards en route to a 27-21 win over the Eagles.
12/23/1984: GIANTS 16, RAMS 13 Running back Rob Carpenter ran for a touchdown and Ali Haji-Sheikh kicked three field goals to secure a Giants win over the Rams. Quarterback Phil Simms completed 22 of 31 passes for 179 yards in the victory.
12/29/1985: GIANTS 17, 49ERS 3 The Giants played in their first postseason game at home since 1962, and the first ever at Giants Stadium. Phil Simms fired touchdown passes to tight ends Mark Bavaro and Don Hasselbeck in a win over the 49ers.
01/09/1994: GIANTS 17, VIKINGS 10 Giants running back Rodney Hampton exploded in the third quarter, scoring on runs of 51 and 2 yards. Hampton finished the day with 161 yards on 33 carries to tie the team postseason marks in each category while the Giants went on to defeat the Vikings 17-10.
01/06/2008: GIANTS 24, BUCCANEERS 14 Running back Brandon Jacobs scored two touchdowns for the Giants, one on a 5-yard reception, the other on an 8-yard run. Wide receiver Amani Toomer caught a touchdown pass and Lawrence Tynes kicked a 25-yard field goal for the Giants. Quarterback Eli Manning completed 20 of 27 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions as the Giants knocked off the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay.
01/08/2012: GIANTS 24, FALCONS 2 Quarterback Eli Manning threw three touchdown passes, two to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and one to wide receiver Mario Manningham. The Giants also got a 22-yard field goal from Lawrence Tynes in a commanding win over the Falcons.
