Greg Newsome II Isn’t Surprised by the Giants’ Defensive Turnaround

Despite a preseason ranking of 27th for their secondary, the Giants have forced eight takeaways through four games.

Sep 21, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; New York Giants cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) reacts after a play during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New York Giants cornerback Greg Newsome II isn't surprised by the team’s defensive resurgence this season.

Despite preseason prognostications of doom — in which one major outlet ranked their secondary 27th in the NFL — the Giants are among the league’s best at forcing turnovers. In fact, New York has eight takeaways through the first four games of 2026.

Though many have been surprised by New York’s recent prowess on the preventive side of the ball,  Newsome believes that their success is simply a byproduct of organizational hard work.

“I think it’s attributed to a lot of things,” Newsome said. “First, our coaches. How we structure practice. We're always doing takeaway things before we get into team activities and things like that.

“Obviously, I think our d-line, our front seven, the guys that are blitzing,” he added. “I think they're doing a great job of just pressuring the quarterback, affecting the quarterback, and just giving us a chance to make plays out there. It's a credit to a lot of things.”

Stay Humble and Stay the Course

Oct 4, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) and New York Giants safety Jason Pinnock (25) jump to catch the ball against Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Having ended the 2025 season ranked 27th in total defense, the Giants are currently enjoying a renaissance of sorts.

New York’s defensive unit ranks eighth in scoring defense (allowing 19.8 points per game) and ninth in total defense (314.2 yards per game) — a performance that has the team off to its first 3-1 start since 2022.

While the Giants have improved at all three levels of defense, the secondary has been particularly impressive. Newsome, who signed a one-year deal with New York this offseason, has been a key component in the team’s revival.

The Northwestern product has compiled 18 total tackles, five passes defended, and one interception — a takeaway that came in the second quarter of the team’s 36-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 at MetLife Stadium.

To keep Big Blue on the right trajectory, coach John Harbaugh is narrowing the team’s collective focus to their next opponent. Rather than entertaining the idea of going 4-1, Harbaugh has adopted a 1-0 mantra for the team’s upcoming Week 5 matchup against the Washington Commanders .

How might the Giants accomplish that goal?

For Newsome, it is simply a matter of his team staying humble and staying the course.

“I mean, we're always humble. We're underdogs every week, so that's enough humbling for us,” Newsome said. “We've got to continue to keep going 1-0 each week. We don't get too high, we don't get too low. It's a long season, so it's great to be 3-1, but we have a lot of football left to play.

“I think we have a lot of vets here that have played meaningful football and know how much each win matters,” he added. “So, we just focus on the next opponent. We don't really care too much about the last game. It's in the past, and now we've got to find a way to go 1-0 this week.”

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