Big Blue View
Good morning, New York Giants fans!
Q: What made Charlie Bullen the right person to take over the defense? Did you have a previous relationship?
Kafka: “I hadn’t had a previous relationship with him, but just watching him from afar, I obviously have a lot of respect for him as a coach, as a person. I just really believe that he’s ready to take that next step and be a coordinator. I’m excited to see him put this thing together, get organized with the coaches, and then go out there and call his game.”
The Giants have allowed a remarkable 6.0 yards per carry when we remove scrambles, kneel-downs and aborted plays. That’s the highest figure in modern NFL history by half a yard. The 2002 Chargers allowed 5.5 yards per carry through their first 12 games, but the NFL as a whole allowed 4.5 yards per carry that season. This season, the league average is lower at 4.3.
The failure to stop the run comes across all three levels of the New York defense. It is currently 29th in run stop win rate, but the real damage comes from long runs. The Giants are last in second-level yards per carry (gains that come 5 to 10 yards past the line of scrimmage) and open-field yards per carry (gains that come 11 or more yards past the line of scrimmage).
Matchup to watch: Giants EDGE Brian Burns vs. Patriots T Vederian Lowe. With Patriots starting left tackle Will Campbell (71.3 grade; 29th) on IR for at least the next four games, tackle Vederian Lowe (43.8 grade) is the next man up to protect Maye’s blindside. That could create some issues for the Patriots, especially against the Giants edge rusher Brian Burns (76.7 grade; 24th). Burns leads the team in pressures (39) and sacks (11) and will look to pin his ears back against the Patriots’ backup left tackle. It could be a long day for Lowe.
Cam Skattebo is out for the year and Jaxson Dart has missed time with a concussion, but the two rookies have injected hope and fun into the Giants, despite the team’s horrendous won-loss record. We’re still...
