Giants Improving on Mediocre Passing Defense

NY Giants’ passing defense has been inconsistent this season, but will be critical down the stretch against QBs like Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, more

In assessing their units with five games remaining, the NY Giants’ passing defense has been below average at best.

The NY Giants are giving up 245 yards per game through the air and 6.9 yard per attempt. Both those stats rank 19th in the league, and pull down a defense that’s in the top five against the run.

But perhaps there’s hope.

The Giants gave up just 115 yards through the air against the Bengals and 190 against the Eagles. Of course it didn’t hurt going against Brandon Allen and a struggling Carson Wentz, but the hope is that the Giants passing defense can build on their performance after giving up just 4.6 yards per attempt through the air the last two weeks.

That number would lead the league if they had done it all year, so anything anywhere close to that would be excellent. Anything under 6.5 yards per attempt would get them into the top 10 and seems like a worthwhile goal.

You do have to give the Giants credit for being a bit disruptive against the pass. They’re in the middle of the pack, intercepting 2.3% of passes attempted (14th). They’re also 11th in the league with sacks on 6.91% of pass attempts.

This week they’re going to have their work cut out for them, as Seattle ranks in the top five in both yards per attempt and passing yards per game. The Seahawks offense has been dangerous, as  you would expect with a superstar like Russell Wilson at the helm.

While the Giants have been good defending the deep ball down the left side, they rank 31st against passes to the deep right and 26th against passes to the deep middle. The deep middle is the spot to watch this week, Wilson’s Seahawks are best in the league averaging 23.2 yards per attempt over the deep middle.

They’re also in the top five in passes to the short left and short right, so those three areas are the most critical to stopping the Seahawks vaunted passing attack.