'D' ugly truth
Big Blue defense not goods as believed after impressive 2020
Blame the players’ execution, blame the coaches’ faulty adjustments or blame the scheme’s complexities.
There is more than enough culpability to go around when trying to pinpoint how the Giants’ defense went from preseason top-10 expectations to incapable of generating a pass rush, stopping the run or covering top receivers. Maybe it’s a combination of all three factors.
“I can’t really put my finger on why that is,” cornerback James Bradberry said.
Or maybe this is the ugly truth no one wants to face: The Giants defense’s strong performance last season, especially during the 5-3 finish, was fueled by a perfect storm of career-best years and was not some starting point to build upon.
So, while the players, coach and scheme remain mostly the same, the dips to No. 29 in total defense, No. 27 in rushing defense, No. 26 in total defense and No. 22 in passing defense are explained by regression to the mean. Simply put, this is what the Giants defense is — sorry if you paid top-dollar expecting a launch toward improvement.
“It’s definitely a phase that has to be a weapon for us,” coach Joe Judge said.
The Giants allowed 515 yards — most since 2015 — Sunday against the Cowboys, who boast the NFL’s top-rated offense, per Pro Football Focus. The No. 3 Rams are next
for the Giants, with the No. 2 Chiefs two games away. “We have to make sure we eliminate their opportunities to have big plays and consistently play the
way they want to play,” Judge said.
Let’s look at some of the main characters’ résumés before their career-years:
Coordinator Patrick Graham: In Graham’s first season calling a defense, the Dolphins ranked No. 30 in total defense and No. 32 in scoring defense in 2019. The Dolphins let Graham go to the Giants without invoking their contractual right to interject. Graham earned creative nicknames from Giants players for drawing up unique schemes and a raise to stay on as Judge’s right-hand man rather than interview for head-coaching jobs. The nicknames dried up. So will the interview requests.
Leonard Williams: The rap on Williams through five seasons was a good run-stuffer who pressured (but rarely sacked) the quarterback. Given a second chance at a contract year via the franchise tag, Williams exploded for 11.5 sacks (previous careerhigh: seven) and cashed in on a three-year, $63 million extension. He has 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits in five games.
“The money is a different department,” Judge said. “I leave the money at the door. When players step in the meeting room or step on the field, everyone is on an equal playing ground.”
James Bradberry: He was the second-best cornerback available in 2020 free agency after his four seasons with the Panthers. Compared to Byron Jones’ enormous contract, the Giants landed a bargain — even more so when Bradberry made his first Pro Bowl. For his encore season, however, he already has allowed 301 passing yards, four touchdowns and a 117.1 passer rating in five games after those numbers were 455, three
and 70.1, respectively, in 15 games. Add in three automatic first-down penalties to extend scoring drives.
Jabrill Peppers: After setting four-year career highs with 91 tackles and 2.5 sacks, Peppers looked like he could survive as an undersized physical run defender and blitzing slot back. But his coverage skills have been exposed (14 catches on 17 targets), leading to a reduction in his snaps and likely in his upcoming free-agent payday.
Dexter Lawrence: The 2019 first-round pick entered the league with a run-clogging reputation but his sack (four) and tackles-for-loss (six) counts spiked as a second-year pro. He has zero sacks, two tackles-for-losses and one offsides penalty that cost the Giants a win in Week 2. The rushing defense has collapsed following the free-agent departure of Dalvin Tomlinson and the seasonending injury to Blake Martinez.
Logan Ryan: The two-time Super Bowl champion had better years than his first with the Giants, but he still played like a top-20 safety and versatile chess piece in Graham’s system. The reward was a three-year, $30 million extension on Christmas. After a dominant Week 1, he quietly slipped to the No. 63 rated safety by Pro Football Focus.
The list of underwhelming performances doesn’t end there.
The internally overvalued group of young edge rushers — Lorenzo Carter, Oshane Ximines, Quincy Roche and Azeez Ojulari — combined for one quarterback pressure against the Cowboys. So, the excuse that disruption should be judged by pressures instead of sacks no longer holds water.