New York Giants: Defense off to another shaky start
The New York Giants coaching changes haven’t changed the defense’s performance.
The New York Giants’ latest head coach is Joe Judge, a longtime assistant with the New England Patriots. He inherited a club that was a combined 12-36 the past three seasons. And each year, the defensive unit for the club has steadily declined.
In 2019, only the Miami Dolphins (494) and Carolina Panthers (470) allowed more points (451) than a team that surrendered 49 offensive touchdowns. This club surrendered 42 offensive touchdowns in both 2017 and 2018. It’s been a far cry for a team in 2016 that allowed only 284 points and just 25 touchdowns by opposing offensive units.
It started out all well and good (via Art Stapleton of USA Today). Early on in the team’s Monday night clash with the visiting Steelers, new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham seemed to have what cured the team’s issues as of late.
They kept Pittsburgh’s attack — with veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger making his return — fairly under wraps early on. Mike Tomlin’s team was three-and-out on their first and third possessions, respectively, and marched just 59 yards on 13 plays while settling for a first-quarter field goal the second time they had the ball.
But when it was all said and done, it appeared that the Steelers’ offense was less about being stifled by the Giants and more about a rusty Roethlisberger. Down 10-3 early in the second quarter, Tomlin’s clubs would score 23 consecutive points over the next two-plus quarters and eventually came away with a 26-16 victory (via Grant Gordon of NFL.com).
Pittsburgh finished with 349 total yards, Roethlisberger through 229 yards and three scores without an interception, backup running back Benny Snell ran for 113 yards on 19 carries and the Steelers’ ground game finished with 141 yards.
New York did finish with two sacks of Roethlisberger but the Giants’ defensive unit did not come up with a takeaway, the Steelers’ lone turnover coming on a muffed punt by wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
Obviously, one game does not make a season. And perhaps this unit will evolve as time wears on and some of the new pieces such as linebackers Blake Martinez (12 tackles) and Kyler Fackrell get acclimated to Graham’s system.
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Newcomer James Bradberry was one of the team’s best defensive player for the Giants on Monday night. The former Panthers’ cornerback finished with four tackles, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. And the team recently added cornerback Logan Ryan, who played vs. Pittsburgh. All told, it wasn’t a disastrous showing by this unit. But can this latest version of the Big Blue defense get its act together?