Dennard Wilson Vows Improvement After Giants' Defense Was Overwhelmed by Rams

While the season-ending knee injury to New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart has drawn much attention across the NFL, Big Blue’s defense also faces questions heading into Week 3.

After an impressive Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants defense allowed the Los Angeles Rams 481 total yards in a demoralizing 28-6 loss at SoFi Stadium.

Needless to say, Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson knows that rapid improvement is necessary given his unit’s output in Week 2 — especially if they hope to reverse their fortunes against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.

“There is no excuse for the way we played,” Wilson told reporters earlier this week. “We didn't play fundamentally sound football, and a team that is as well coached as the Rams executed at a high level. If you don't play with attention to detail, they hurt you.

“That led to explosive plays that we gave up,” he added. “And that's something that didn't happen in the first game, which allowed us to win.”

Wilson: “We Want to Get the Quarterback On the Ground”

Sep 13, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants linebacker Arvell Reese (52) runs a play against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Through the first two games of 2026, the Giants find themselves near the bottom of the NFL’s rankings in total defense (27th), passing defense (25th), and red zone defense (31st).

Though their lack of consistency cannot be ignored, New York’s defensive unit has suffered injuries across the front seven and the secondary — undoubtedly contributing to their struggles.

The Giants have particularly struggled to sack the quarterback. New York’s edge rushers have generated an 8.8% pressure rate through the first two weeks, while logging just one sack — a third-quarter split of a double team by linebacker Abdul Carter to bring down Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford for a nine-yard loss.

Heading into Week 3, Wilson and the Giants are placing a premium on pressuring the quarterback, while maintaining their commitment to stopping the run.

With his penchant for creative simulated pressures, Wilson may try to scheme up stunts to keep Titans quarterback Cam Ward off balance. Of course, Wilson’s modus operandi won't let his sharp eye stray far from Titans running back Tony Pollard.

Still, the Giants will face additional difficulty, because defensive team captain Brian Burns is expected to miss time after suffering a low ankle sprain in Week 2.

With Burns absent from New York’s pass rush, Wilson may look to defenders like Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux to take on larger roles. He may also align rookie Arvell Reese along the edge as a rotational option—a role he played at Ohio State.

In the final analysis, the Giants’ defense must be better in Week 3 to give their new-look offense a chance to compete in the coming weeks. Though Wilson knows improvement comes best at a steady pace, he will ensure his defensive players feel the urgency heading into this matchup against the Titans.

“Yeah, obviously we want more sacks. The pressures are good, but we want to get the quarterback on the ground,” Wilson said.

“It'll start coming just like takeaways. Once you start getting one or two, they start to roll. And hopefully this week we can turn the tables a little bit and get after their quarterback.

“We are back to the drawing board this week,” he added. “We’ve got to work on ourselves first. And if we fix ourselves and the problems that we had in the game, we'll play a lot better going forward.”

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