Where Did Giants' 2023 Defense Rank in PFF's Clusters?

The 2023 Giants defense wasn't bad, but it ca be a lot better.

Dec 31, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) is tackled by New York Giants cornerback Nick McCloud (44) and safeties Jason Pinnock (27) and Isaiah Simmons (19) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants stumbled to a 6-11 record in 2023, but it could be argued that their defense is the main reason they managed to win as much as they did. Yet, all things considered, the Giants' defense wasn't one of the league's best; rather, they were mostly middle-of-the-pack.

Amelia Probst of Pro Football Focus, in her grouping of all 32 NFL defenses into clusters, put the Giants into the third cluster, of which teams were “known for strong run defense but mediocre efforts overall en route to an average 76.8 PFF grade” and “played Cover 3 the most often of any cluster (33%)."

The Giants, who added inside linebacker Bobby Okereke in free agency last off-season to help with the run defense, still struggled against the run, finishing 29th in the league (132.4 yards/game). The average yardage allowed was slightly better than in 2022 (9144.2), though the run defense ranked 27th that year.

"The Giants generated a 31.1% pressure rate in 2023, ranking only 28th,” Probst said. “Their pass rush won just 36.3% of its reps, ranking 30th. Their run-defense unit didn't fare much better, earning a 29th-ranked 56.2 grade."

The two main issues for the Giants' defense last year were consistently rushing the passer and stopping the run. While outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux and interior defensive lineman Dexter  Lawrence II combined for 16 sacks, the defense couldn't get to the quarterback on a regular basis. 

Stopping the run has been another ongoing issue for many seasons. Last year, the Giants brought in Okereke, Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, and A'Shawn Robinson to bolster the front seven and hopefully stop the run. That didn't happen, as the Giants' run defense allowed 4.7 yards per rushing attempt, second-worst in the NFL.  

Former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale resigned in January, which paved the way for Shane Bowen to take his place. Bowen hails from the Titans, the team’s defensive coordinator since 2021. 

Bowen's defenses in the past have been good at stopping the run and rushing, mostly with four. The Titans' defense had a down year in 2023, placing them in
PFF’s first cluster.

The main difference between Martindale’s and Bowen's systems is that Martindale was famous for his heavy blitz schemes, which the Giants became known for over the last two seasons. 

New York blitzed 45.4% of the time last year, second most in the league, only behind the Vikings. The Titans, on the other hand, blitzed 22% in 2023, tied for 24th in the league. 

Bowen doesn't rely on manufactured pressure. He instead lets his front seven get to the quarterback. Martindale would have his pass rusher, on occasion, drop back into coverage, something that likely won’t be seen in Bowen’s scheme. 

The Giants made a blockbuster trade for Brian Burns to combat the pressure rate issue. Burns, formerly of the Panthers, creates a big three of him, Lawrence, and Thibodeaux along the defensive line. 

The Giants also gave him a massive extension, making Burns one of the top-paid pass rushers in the league. He hopes to become an even more dominant presence off the edge.

How the Giants improve their run defense remains to be seen. There wasn't much movement in free agency or the draft to indicate that they're trying to fix the problem. It seems that they're going to roll with what they have. 

They did bring in veteran Jordan Phillips to play on the defensive line. Other than that, younger players will have to step up when Lawrence and the other veterans leave the field. Jordon Riley, Ryder Anderson, and DJ Davidson are the main three fighting for playing time heading into training camp.

Okereke is still going to take control of the middle of the defense. His running mate, Micah McFadden, has been a solid contributor after his emergence last year. The problem with McFadden is his missed tackles, as he had 22 last season. 

Bowen's system relies on the secondary to be physical and willing tacklers in the run game. Banks and Pinnock won't have a problem with this. Rookies Tyler Nubin and Dru Phillips, Cor'Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins, and Nick McCloud, among others, will also be expected to be factors in the run game.

The Giants' defense has a lot to improve on. However, this could be an exciting year for this unit with a new system and some exciting new players.

---

• Follow and like us on Facebook.
• Submit your questions for our mailbag.
• Follow Patricia Traina on Instagram.
• Check out the Giants Country YouTube Channel.