Giants' defense getting run off the field by opponents
Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby runs with the ball past Giants cornerback Deonte Banks during the first half of an NFL game Sunday in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
It’s one thing for the Giants’ run defense to be bad all season. It’s another to show it in embarrassing fashion on national TV.
One play summed it up Sunday. No, not Saquon Barkley's 65-yard touchdown run on the Eagles' second play from scrimmage. It came in the fourth quarter with the Eagles facing second-and-26.
Backup running back Tank Bigsby ran through a hole on the right side. He escaped a tackle from Darius Muasau, kept running, froze Dane Belton on a stutter-step and was finally tackled for a 29-yard gain.
It was atrocious in every sense. The Giants let Bigsby and Barkley each have over 100 rushing yards. They allowed eight runs of at least 10 yards, the most they’ve given up in a game all season.
The Eagles’ 276 rushing yards — they entered Sunday's game 30th in rushing offense — were the most by a Giants opponent since Nov. 9, 2014, when the Seahawks ran for 350.
“It was missing tackles, not filling gaps right,” defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence said. “Things that get you beat really. That’s what we’re doing.”
There’s not a lot that’s gone right for the Giants at 2-6. But one thing has gotten worse since last season and that’s stopping the run at an historically bad level.
The Giants are last in the NFL, allowing 5.73 yards per carry. That’s on pace to be the highest in a Giants season since the 2022 team allowed 5.2 yards per carry in coach Brian Daboll’s first season.
After being 24th last year at 4.6 yards per carry, they’ve fallen further in defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s second season. It’s a regression to Daboll’s first two seasons when the Giants were 31st in opponent yards per carry under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
“We need to do a better job on our run defense, no question about it,” Daboll said Monday.
For the season, the Giants are allowing 148.9 rushing yards per game. That would be the most in a Giants season since 1980 (156.69), the year before they drafted Lawrence Taylor.
As far as long runs go? They’ve given up at least one run of at least 30 yards in five of their eight games.
The Giants have done a poor job allowing runners to escape to the outside. They’re last in the NFL in opponent yards per carry to the left end (9.24), left tackle (7.19) and the right end (9.88). They’ve done a poor job of setting the edges and running backs are eating like it's a buffet line — get what you want and keep coming back for more.
Sure, the Giants can add offensive help at the trade deadline next Tuesday. But if the run defense doesn’t get fixed, that won’t matter. The Giants miss linebacker Micah McFadden, who’s been out since the season opener.
But there are still too many players familiar with Bowen’s scheme for this group to keep backsliding in the run game.
“It’s disheartening because how much we want to stop the run and how much of an emphasis it is,” defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches said Monday. “But I mean, the biggest thing is Shane said it best. I would say we got to do the simple things better and that's what it comes down to.”
It won’t get easier Sunday with 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey is second in the NFL in scrimmage yards, but he’s averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry.
That sounds like what was said about Barkley before last week. He entered averaging 3.3 yards, a career-low. Two plays into the game, the Giants were chasing him into the end zone.
If the Giants allow McCaffrey to be the next running back to feast at their expense, it’s another indictment of this defense, Bowen and Daboll. The unit hasn't improved from last season when the defense set a then-NFL record with 11 straight games without an interception.
Somehow it’s gotten worse. If getting embarrassed Sunday doesn’t change things, it’s hard to imagine much will as the season keeps spiraling.
Nabers’ surgery a success
The Giants said Tuesday that Malik Nabers underwent successful surgery to repair the torn ACL in his right knee. He’ll begin his rehab program after being discharged from the hospital on Wednesday. Nabers was injured in the Giants’ Week 4 win on Sept. 28.
Notes & quotes: Cam Skattebo was also officially placed on injured reserve. The Giants also claimed CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse on waivers from the Browns, re-signed LB Swayze Bozeman to the practice squad and waived WR Juice Wells from the practice squad.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
