New York Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson said the defense’s increased blitz rate over the past two weeks has been effective because the secondary is covering well enough to support the pressure.

Wilson said the Giants have been able to hit the quarterback, disguise where the rush is coming from, and force him off his spot into bad decisions. The coverage behind it has given the defense more confidence to call those looks.

“They’ve been doing a good job on the back end, communicating, playing man-to-man, playing fire zone coverage,” Wilson told reporters on Thursday. “So, it’s been good for us. It’s been effective, and we’ve been getting the quarterback off the spot and forcing them to bad decisions.”

That same aggression has shown up when inside linebacker Arvell Reese is matched against a running back in the rush. Wilson described Reese as a “violent scud missile” and said getting him one-on-one on a back is a favorable matchup.

“If you can get Arvell on a running back, it’s a good matchup for us any day of the week,” Wilson said. “He is a violent scud missile. When he goes forward, I say he’s like a bull, he sees red, and it’s good for us. If we can dictate and get a running back and get him on a one-on-one, more times than not he’s going to win.”

Wilson said Reese is doing everything well right now and currently looks like a seasoned veteran despite some rookie moments. He also praised Reese’s communication and overall level of play.

Cornerback Dru Phillips has been another piece of the pressure package. Wilson said Phillips has been playing high-level football in coverage, blitzing, and against the run over the last three or four weeks, and he has been used more frequently coming from the secondary.

“Dru is a dynamic player,” Wilson said. “Dru has been playing some really good, high-level football the last three or four weeks in coverage, blitzing, playing the run. He’s ahead of things. I love where he’s at, but he is an asset. He is an explosive; he’s another violent player that’s not afraid of contact.”

Wilson said the scheme allows pressure from anywhere and that this group likes attacking downhill. When the Giants get the opportunity to send Phillips or other defenders, they have been repping it and going full speed.

The combination of a covering secondary, a physical young linebacker who can create mismatches, and a cornerback who has grown into a reliable blitzer has given Wilson more ways to manufacture pressure without tipping where it is coming from.