Bobby Okereke Offers Theory About Giants Defense’s Play

The Giants defense struggled in the 21-18 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 2. Okereke has a theory why that was.

Sep 15, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs the ball against New York Giants safety Tyler Nubin (31) and linebacker Bobby Okereke (58) during the fourth quarter at Commanders Field. / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

New York Giants inside linebacker Bobby Okereke, a team captain, was brutally honest when speaking about the team’s defensive woes in their 21-18 loss to the Washington Commanders.

“Defensively we got to do a better job tackling. We need to shore up our run fits. And just have more discipline doing our job,” Okereke said Monday via video conference. 

“Talking about me specifically, kind of three quarters doing your job, a quarter trying to do someone else's job, trying to make a play and that trickles down. I think everybody just needs to focus on doing their job.”

Okereke’s statement about people not doing their jobs raised a few eyebrows. He admitted that there were times he didn’t do what he was supposed to have done because he was trying to cover for someone else.

Okereke still finished with eight tackles in the game and had a sack and two tackles for a loss, but in his mind, it just wasn’t good enough considering the Commanders gashed the Giants on the ground to the tune of 215 yards on 35 carries, a 6.1 per carry average.

It also wasn’t good enough in that five of the seven third-down conversions the Giants defense allowed came with the Commanders needing at least 10 yards.

“I know me specifically. I didn't tackle very well. Didn't do my job 100% to my ability. That's really where my focus is, and I know guys have their own individual focus on what they can do better.”

Okereke admitted that defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s system is very different from that Wink Martindale ran, implying that Bowen’s system has taken some time to get used to.

“Obviously, with Wink (Martindale)’s style, we blitzed a lot. We ran a bear front, sometimes had a five-man front. This is a little bit more different,” he said. “We're playing quarters. Some of our fits are different. But the same fundamentals of football always show up, playing fast and physical and doing your job.”

That being said, Okereke is confident the Giants defense will work through its growing pains sooner than later.

“A hundred percent. I think if you have the right perspective and mindset of making the corrections week to week, you'll get better and you'll like where you're at later on in the season,” he said. 

“So that's where our focus is. We made some corrections from Week 1 to Week 2. We like the progress, still not where we need to be, so we'll make the corrections from Week 2 to (Week) 3 and we'll get a better result.”

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