NY Giants Look to Solve Run Defense Leak

The Giants have a major run defense problem, particularly on one side of the defense. So how do they plan to address it?

New York Giants defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Giants poured a lot of financial resources into building their defensive front seven, not just to beef up the pass rush, but more specifically to help stem the tide in run defense.

So far, not so good on that front. The Giants’ run defense is currently ranked 31st in the league (150.0 yards/game) — worse than its 2024 ranking of 27th (136.2 yards/game).

Of particular note regarding this year’s run, defensive struggles are at the edges. Opponents have averaged 6.15 yards off the left end (27th) and 5.53 yards per carry (20th) off the right end, with the defense’s left end (offense’s right side) being the bigger of the two issues.

Not surprisingly, opponents have gone after the Giants’ defense's left end with a vengeance -- and with success.  

“Yeah, we've seen some more perimeter stuff here these past couple weeks,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said. 

“I think even some of those downhill runs that they run, where they come in, everybody's kind of coming inside to block the most inside threat to try to get that thing to potentially bounce out there.” 

Based on a compilation of data from Pro Football Focus from Weeks 6-9, opponents have averaged 6.82 yards per carry on rushes off the offense’s right end, and have five runs of 10+ yards, eight first downs (on 17 attempts), and one touchdown.

Why have teams had such success rushing against the Giants’ defensive left side?

“I think even some of those downhill runs that they run, where they come in, everybody's kind of coming inside to block the most inside threat to try to get that thing to potentially bounce out there,” Bowen surmised. 

In an attempt to plug what has become a major leak in the run defense, Bowen said there are a variety of things he can try, including changing up the front and the techniques played. 

“It can kind of vary,” he said. “All things we looked at on Monday, we're trying to give our guys the best chance to get out there and be successful, whatever that is, scheme, technique, whatever we've got to do.”

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