How Patrick Graham Plans to Improve the Giants' Defense

It's too late to scrap the entire scheme, but Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said he'll probably roll a few things back to help his struggling players play faster.

After finishing as a top-12 defense last season, big things were expected of the New York Giants defense Year 2 of the Patrick Graham system.

So far, the Giants have failed to come anywhere close to mastering the new wrinkles Graham has installed to take the defense to the next level. in fact, they've struggled to do some of the things they did so well last season when they were still learning the system on the fly.

How bad has it been? Graham used the word “unacceptable,” a tame descriptor by comparison to what some Giants fans have used for the play of a defense that ranks 29th in yards per game allowed (408.6), 27th against the run (138.4 yards/game), 22nd against the pass (270.2 yards/game) and which is allowing an average of 27.8 points per game.

As Graham said, unacceptable.

“We’ve got to improve, for sure,” said defensive back Logan Ryan. “Just too many mental errors—didn’t execute our game plan. You play anybody like that, you’re not going to beat anyone in the league. The league’s too good, too much parity – and Dallas is a pretty good team. You don’t play well against them (then) you’re going to lose like that. It just shows you how you’ve got to be on your game every game.”

To help the defense get back on track, Graham spoke about simplifying things.

“Right now, when you do that self-evaluation and you’re leading into the game, you have to start with yourself. That’s what I do and I’m sure that’s what you guys do in your profession, but we’ve got to simplify. How can I make it so we’re playing faster, we’re playing with confidence and everything?” Graham said.

“To me, the simpler we can make it – I know this, we have good players. We have good players. Let me let them play, does that make sense? So, if that means simplifying or doing a better job of coaching whatever the scheme is – doesn’t mean we’re going to challenge and ask them to do something, maybe get a check here or there, something like that – but it’s definitely part of the process.”

If that’s what Graham feels is best, Ryan is on board.

“I think his job as D-coordinator is to put us in a position to play fast and play well,” he said. “If he felt like we weren’t playing fast enough or didn’t play well enough, simplifying is always the quickest fix, the best fix, to just allow our players to play. I think that if Pat says that then I agree that that could help.”

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