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Jan 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley (28) runs with the ball past New York Giants defensive tackle Elijah Chatman (94) during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

NY Giants Need Run Defense to Step Up to the Plate This Season

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Patricia Traina | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The New York Giants have a revamped pass-rushing unit filled with potential to become one of the top units in the league. But for that to happen, the Giants will need their run defense to do its part in setting up situations for the pass rush to be unleashed.

Therein lies the challenge. The run defense has had its struggles both last year and thus far in training camp. Part of that has been because of Dexter Lawrence II’s absence, which is why general manager Joe Schoen poured an extra amount of resources into improving the unit.

The results this summer have been mixed, bordering on disappointing. Through two preseason games, the Giants have allowed 99.5 yards per game on the ground, 16th in the league. Their average depth of tackle is 4.15 yards. 13th highest in the league. They have 11 missed tackles against the run, tied for the 8th most.

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen noted that the more rushing attempts an opponent has, the more likely the final stats will end up skewed in favor of the offense.

That said, he also admitted that there is room for improvement, stating that they prefer the average depth of tackle goal to be around 4.0 or less per attempt and that against the Jets, it was slightly above that at 4.3 yards per attempt.

“Just consistency with our technique, fundamentals,” he said. “When we are pressuring, some of the movement stuff can get a little loose at times, where you create some space that hopefully you don't always want in the run game. But there are flashes.”

The challenges of the run defense

John Jones-Imagn Images

Inside linebacker Micah McFadden believes that once the defensive personnel is set and everyone is playing off each other like a well-oiled machine , the run defense will be closer to meeting their expectations.

“Run defense takes everybody, and I think it’s a holistic approach of making sure everybody’s doing their job,” McFadden said.

“When one guy doesn’t have his hat in the right place, it can be the difference between an explosive run and something that can be at the line of scrimmage so I think it’s just making sure we’re all honed in on exactly where we need to be – the fits, the communication behind it all and taking control of our 1/11th. I think that goes a long way.”

The Giants' defenders have spoken about having to earn the right to rush the passer, and McFadden believes that if the run defense succeeds on first and second down, it will put the pass rush in an excellent position to finish off the opponent.

“I think our first goal is first and second down and being great there getting the offense in the red where we can dial things up, we can go play fast, we can do our thing on the back end, play with good depth, get underneath the int ermediate routes and then let those guys eat up front,” he said.

“I think last year we lacked a little bit in that run defense, and it’s something we want to be great at, something we want to hold a high standard to, and I think we’re doing a good job holding everybody to that, but obviously, there’s a lot of room for improvement there.”

McFadden is right. According to data compiled from NFL Savant, last season, the Giants’ opponents averaged 4.3 yards per carry on first downs and 4.6 on second downs, leading to a lot of third and shorts and with it, the option to run or pass for the first down.

The problem, per McFadden, was guys being out of place, topped by an influx of missed tackles, which led to the proverbial dam breaking open.

“When three guys aren’t doing their job and it creates an explosive, and then on top of that we have a missed tackle and the run can go for 30 or 40,” he said.

Reason for hope

In addition to the Giants having brought in new personnel to improve the run defense, it’s hoped that this being Year 2 of Bowen’s defensive system, there is a greater comfort level that allows for less thinking and more reaction.

The good news is that McFadden thinks there is a noticeable difference in the comfort level with what the players’ roles are.

“Yeah, I think a lot more comfortable,” he said. “I think year one in a scheme, you’re trying to figure it out during this time in camp, putting all the pieces together, still fine-tuning some things, but going into year two, we’re comfortable.

“We kind of know the entire scheme already, and then we go into OTAs and go through that first phase of install and all that. At this point, we’ve put everything in three or four times and just tighten those screws.”

“The one thing I've been encouraged about, like the longest run, happened late in the game, and it was 15 yards,” Bowen said. “It should have been five if we executed properly.

“But we, knock on wood, we've been able to minimize some of the big ones when, like the 10 to 12, 15-yarders at times are going to happen. But we've got to make sure we keep them there and not get up to 20 pluses and some of those.”

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