Giants Defense Delivered a Solid Game in Win Over Raiders: Player Breakdowns

Was it a perfect showing by the New York Giants' defense? Not quite–perfection is extremely rare in the NFL, let alone in life.

But this was a solid defensive effort by Big Blue, which has quietly improved under first-time defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen, who has shown more creativity and a willingness to scale down the playbook and assignments on every play so players can move faster to the ball.

Overall, this week, the Giants' run defense had its best game. We saw creativity in the red zone, and we loved the way Bullen designed plays for Abdul Carter and Brian Burns that fooled the Raiders' banged-up offensive line.

Yes, we know that the Raiders were banged up–every team is at this point in the season. And we suppose, though we have no proof, that maybe the Raiders had their eye on the draft pick, given that their season, like the Giants, is over.

But we also have to give credit to the Giants' defense, which played as good a game as they have all season–and we don’t want to hear that it was against a lousy opponent because lousy opponents have incentives and pride and receive a paycheck just like the Giants do.

Here are our player-by-player breakdowns.

Defensive Line

Dexter Lawrence

If Lawrence doesn’t have his sack taken away from him by a defensive offsides, he finished today’s game with four tackles + 1 sack. Instead, his column of 3 tackles looks rather pedestrian in the big scheme.

Lawrence was his typically solid self between the tackles as the defense did a stellar job of holding dynamic running back Ashton Jeanty, who was coming off a dynamic game against a tough Houston defense.

Lawrence and company controlled the line of scrimmage, limiting Jeanty to 36 rushing yards when it counted (a 24-yard run in garbage time padded Jeanty’s stats).

It was a team run-defense effort out there today with Lawrence playing the point. He was stout throughout, while also contributing with several resounding inside pass rushes that collapsed the pocket.

Roy Robertson-Harris

Playing another in a series of stout pit games, Robertson-Harris had three solo tackles while also holding his point and gap with power and discipline. The vet also pitched in with several of his own pocket collapses.

Darius Alexander

Getting a ton of playing time (with D.J. Davidson out), the big rookie recorded his third sack of the season when he beat solo blocking from his defensive tackle spot on a passing down.

He also got credit for another quarterback hit (this one a power gap attack) plus three total tackles, one of them coming in the backfield.

Alexander was also part of several other coordinated pass rushes that pressured the opposing quarterback, using the power in his long arms to control his man and provide power contain.

His ability to control gaps on the pass rush has become a part of the pass rush scheme that has heated up of late.

Elijah Chatman

Getting a healthy dose of rotation snaps at defensive tackle, Chatman was active early on, but his activity slowed as the game wore on. He came up empty on the stat sheet.

Outside Linebackers

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New York Giants outside linebacker Abdul Carter (51) reacts in the second quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Brian Burns

Adding another 1.5 sacks to his team-leading 16.5 sack total, Burns earned the half sack on a close-down of a 5-man group meeting at the quarterback.

His full sack came on an inside, untouched stunt that ran him right in the face of the quarterback (interestingly, Burns’ two sacks last week were also of the untouched variety).

The ever-hustling veteran affected the game in many ways. His edge defense against the run was outstanding and was a big part of the stout run defense.

He made several plays in pursuit while his pass rush remained under control. Burns finished with four tackles (one of them in the backfield) and three quarterback hits. That’s another big day’s work.

Abdul Carter

Although he lacked Burns’ gaudy numbers, that does not mean that Carter was not the more impactful player.

Against the run, he was a monster in the middle, as the coaches have found gold standing Carter up over center. He’s blowing up gaps against the run, he’s giving opposing centers fits trying to stay with his speed and spin move, and he’s enjoying it, not to mention his play on the edges, which is almost always impactful.

On Burns’ full sack, guess who drew two blockers with a scintillating inside burst from the other side that opened up a huge gap right up the gut for Burns to exploit. That’s right, it was Carter.

On another pass rush, he got credit for a half sack off of one of his lightning edge speed rushers. He was causing havoc no matter where he rushed the passer.

He also got credit for two tackles for loss, the biggest one being an edge instant read that blew up an end-around for a 10-yard loss that should have counted for a sack.

All told, Carter finished with four tackles and numerous quarterback pressures.

On the negative side, his offside penalty negated a Dexter Lawrence sack; that’s the second week in a row he was just over the line and in the neutral zone, so that has to be cleaned up.

Chauncey Golston

The beneficiary of lining up Abdul Carter over center is that it gets Golston on the field more often as a jumbo outside linebacker. Golston provides more of a run defense fit to the pit group when he’s out there.

Last week, he had a huge impact. This week, the ball didn’t find him as much, as he recorded just one tackle, though it came in the backfield as part of one of those coordinated contains, this time in the red zone.

Golston really holds his ground well while adding an instinctive feel for the flow of the play that gets him into the action.

Tomon Fox

Getting a dozen or so rotation snaps at outside linebacker, Fox did his power contain thing, but never did find the ball.

Inside Linebacker

Bobby Okereke

Leading the defense with seven total tackles, it was Okereke’s game-turning interception that put this game on its ear.

Okereke was doing his midfield, zone fill red zone thing when a ball was thrown too far out in front of a crossing tight end, and he was quick to pounce on the throw. This huge first-quarter play came on a 2nd-and-7 from the NYG12 with the game scoreless.

Forty-seven yards later, the offense was lining up at midfield to convert on the turnover that gave the Giants the early 7-0 lead, and from which they never looked back. Talk about a momentum turner!

Okereke seems to be finishing strong and looking healthier. It may be fool’s gold, as Okerke has not been a difference-maker this year in any sense of the word, but this week, he was the big playmaker when it counted, while also contributing game-long to the positive run defense.

Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles

This oft-injured vet worked his way back into the lineup and found himself around the ball in garbage time, where 3 of his four tackles occurred (including a sack).

His one tackle that counted came midway through the third quarter in the red zone, in coverage, allegedly his specialty.

The late-game sack occurred when he herded a scrambling quarterback out of bounds for a 0-yard sack.

Flannigan-Fowles plays the inside linebacker spot like you'd want: he can run, and he can hit. He just can’t stay healthy.

Darius Muasau

Pitching in with five tackles of his own, Muasau once again held up to the physical stuff but lost a few too many moments in space when the game just moved too fast for him.

Muasau’s role right now is more of an absorb/contain than an attacking one, which does not lend itself to many big plays. He leaves the field on passing downs.

Defensive Backs

New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Paulson Adebo

With a backup opposite Adebo, the veteran didn’t see a whole lot of action, saving for giving up several early completions with some very questionable reactions and technique.

He did bat away a deep ball with suffocating coverage – one thing Adebo will not allow to happen is him getting beat over the top – but his short and intermediate coverages remain soft and unchallenging.

He finished with just three tackles today, a testament to the opposition's lack of attention.

Deonte Banks

Stepping in for the injured Cor’Dale Flott, Banks was immediately targeted and had good coverage on a deep pattern he failed to contest at the catch point; fortunately for Banks, the receiver failed to get his second foot down on the catch.

Finding the ball remains a conundrum that Banks doesn’t seem capable of solving. He looked bad on the Raiders’ lone touchdown of the game, but we’re not sure what defense the secondary was playing on this one.

Suffice it to say that Banks looked flummoxed, and reminded us that he’s the last person we would trust on any sort of combination coverage, especially in the end zone.

Banks got credit for knocking away two balls while recording three solo tackles, coming up in zone to wrap up smallish receivers.

Dru Phillips

Showing off his great forward-moving instincts, especially when defending receiver screens, Phillips finished with a healthy six total tackles.

One of those came behind the line of scrimmage when he contained his edge like a good outside linebacker would do, baited Jeanty to bounce it wide, then stayed with the speedy and elusive back to wrap him up solo for the loss. It was a real NFL kind of play.

Phillips looked sharp in coverage throughout.

Rico Payton

Getting a bunch of snaps as CB3, Payton held up reasonably well, especially reacting in zone coverages. He finished off one tackle and showed off good size and sticking ability in his limited snaps.

Jevon Holland

Playing mostly deep zone coverages until a knee injury knocked him out of action, Holland got in on only one tackle in the first half.

He was injured on the second half’s opening kickoff and did not return, though he looked fine walking on the sidelines afterward.

Dane Belton

Playing every defensive snap, Belton’s seven total tackles matched Bobby Okereke’s. Belton has really put a stamp on his arrival as a full-time player with his play throughout the year. He’s already deserved more playing time. Now he’s getting it, and he’s running with it.

Belton’s instincts, field sense, and physicality are upper-tier. He was regularly getting up from the bottom of piles, while also riding speedsters out of bounds.

He topped off his positive performance with a fourth-quarter interception that sealed the deal. Belton has always had good hands and instincts. We think he’s too valuable to be kept off the field.

Raheem Layne

Getting a uniform as a practice squad promotion, Layne actually got the start as part of the 3-safety grouping that this defense likes to run.

Three of his four tackles came in the first quarter. His final tackle came on the game’s final play. Layne looked physical on his three hits, but his lack of agility made the speed of the game a bit too fast for him when attempting to make tackles.

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