Key Metric Points to Major Area of Improvement Needed By Giants' Defense

The Giants defense desperately needs to clean up this fundamental football skill moving forward.

New York Giants defense gets ready on the field during a game between New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When it came to one of the most basic football skills, the New York Giants failed to make the grade last season.

That skill is tackling, where, according to NFL NextGen Stats, the Giants ranked 25th out of the 32 teams, earning a dismal 68.7 (D+) grade.

Interestingly, the Giants posted a 13.3% missed tackle rate, which was not far from the league average of 13%. But what hurt the Giants was the yardage that ensued as a result of those tackles.

Giants linebacker Micah McFadden has been the Giants defensive leader in missed tackles in each of the last two seasons, per Pro Football Focus. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

According to the study, the Giants were one of six teams to give up over 1,000 yards after missed tackles, finishing with the fourth-highest total in the league (1,081) and the second-highest average per miss (6.3). 

The study also pointed to cornerback Dru Phillips, whose missed tackles accounted for 167 yards gained after the missed tackles, third most among all cornerbacks in the league.  

In 2024, the Giants had five defenders hit double-digit missed tackles, including linebacker Micah McFadden (16), safety Jason Pinnock (14), Phillips and linebacker Bobby Okereke (11 each), and safety Tyler Nubin (10)—all members responsible for the second and back end of the defense.

The Giants finished with 156 missed tackles in 2024, five more than their total in 2023. 

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