Giants facing key injuries at every level of their defense
The New York Giants give up more yards per carry (5.1) rushing than any defense in the NFL. They have one interception all season, and are riding an NFL-record streak of 11 games without an interception. Only six teams have missed more tackles than 118 recorded by the Giants. Their pass rush, one of the league’s best early in the year, has generated just one sack in the last four games.
With all of that in mind, some would say that defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s group has not done anything well all season.
Forget the idea of getting better. Considering that the Giants now have major injuries at every level of their defense and currently have no idea who will be on the field for them on Sunday vs. the New Orleans Saints, how the Giants play some form of defense that doesn’t leave them completely overmatched is anybody’s guess.
The defensive line is in shambles
Even with star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence playing well enough to have many calling him the best interior defensive lineman in football, the line wasn’t good enough.
Now, Lawrence is on season-ending IR with a dislocated elbow. So, too, is Armon Watts, a useful midseason pickup who helped the defensive line rotation.
Veteran Rakeem Nunez-Roches, a starter alongside Lawrence all season, has not practiced this week due to a neck injury. Jordon Riley is hobbling around on a bad knee. D.J. Davidson left Thursday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys with a shoulder injury.
“It’s kind of [a] revolving door a little bit right now. Just different spots, different pieces,” Bowen said on Thursday. “Obviously D-line we’ll kind of sort out through the week where we’re at.
“It’s tough to replace a guy like Dex. I mean everybody faces injuries. We gotta hopefully have guys step up and take advantage of their opportunities.”
Undrafted rookie free agent Elijah Chatman, used mostly as an interior pass rusher this season, could be in line for more playing time. Cory Durden, signed off the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad this week, might be in line to make his NFL debut on Sunday.
Practice squad defensive linemen Casey Rogers and Elijah Garcia are options as players to be elevated for depth on Sunday. Rogers is an undrafted free agent rookie and Garcia a third-year player who appeared in a total of five games for the Denver Broncos in 2022 and 2023.
“I think all those guys are in play right now, and we’ll kind of see where we’re at in the next few days,” Bowen said.
“They’ve all been working hard,” Bowen said. “Whoever gets out there, I’m excited to see them go play.”
We will see if anyone is excited after watching them play.
Okereke and Banks likely out, too
Bobby Okereke played every defensive snap for the Giants last season despite playing through a broken rib, a fractured pinky finger and a hip injury. The fact that he has not practiced this week with a back injury and that head coach Brian Daboll has listed him as “week-to-week” tells you that Okereke has a pretty significant injury.
Okereke is the Giants’ defensive signal-caller, is tied with Tyler Nubin for the team lead in tackles with 93, and leads the team with three forced fumbles.
“He’s been solid for us, leader, runs the show for us, gets guys lined up, makes plays when they’re there for us,” Bowen said. “He’s flying around being productive when he’s out there. He’s doing everything we ask of him.”
Micah McFadden and sixth-round pick Darius Muasau will get the bulk of the linebacker snaps if Okereke is out.
“I feel comfortable with both of them,” Bowen said.
Could there be a bigger role for Isaiah Simmons? Could Dyontae Johnson, yet to play this year because of a training camp ankle injury, be in the mix?
Banks appears headed for a second straight missed game. Daboll would not confirm that the second-year cornerback has broken ribs, but the fact that he appears headed for a second straight missed game makes that a strong possibility. Veteran Adoree’ Jackson would likely start in Banks’ place again.
Tackling woes
Each week, the Giants’ defense seems to turn short gains for opposing offenses into big ones with missed tackles. Many of those misses in recent weeks have come in the secondary, giving pass catchers opportunities to gain big chunks of additional yardage.
Bowen offered a lengthy answer in trying to explain what Giants’ defenders need to do better:
“I think staying on our feet. Making sure we’re staying on our feet, casting the net, not letting our feet die on contact. These runners are strong. If your feet die on contact, you end up falling off,” Bowen said. “So, trying to stay on our feet, get as many cleats in the ground as we can and keep these guys up. Whenever you’re trying to go to the ground to make a tackle, it’s probably not going to end well. Just basic technique and fundamentals in the open field, being able to close the space, come to balance, not have your base too wide where you can step to contact. You get wide with your base, all of a sudden he goes to move one way and that foot comes back in, so you’re wasting two steps. Then you’re forced to lunge to try to make it and it turns into an arm tackle.
“So, I think eyes, leverage and base are vital in tackling. I think they’re trying to get there. The angles haven’t been brutal. There’s been a few that have been tough angles, especially when you get in the open field. But I think at the point of contact, being able to stay on our feet and run our feet on contact where we’re not falling off and letting these guys get through some of these arm tackles. Because they turn into arm tackles as soon as your feet go dead.”
The missing pass rush
There was a point in time in the middle of this season when the Giants were leading the league in sacks. Now, they have had just one sack in four weeks. Generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks won’t get easier with Lawrence (9.0 sacks) out for the season.
“I felt like last week we got some pressure on them [the Cowboys] when we had some passing situations. We were close. I think (Brian) Burns tipped one as he was throwing it. (Outside linebacker) KT (Kayvon Thibodeaux) was right there, close one time where he potentially could have reached and got it off of him,” Bowen said. “So, there’s been some opportunities.
