Can NY Giants’ defense stop Browns’ Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt?

Can Giants’ defense bounce back?

It’s easy to lose sight of how strong the Giants’ defense played for most of the game in Week 14. From the very start of the game, the Great Wall of NY showed how impenetrable it could be.

After a first-possession Daniel Jones fumble gave the Arizona Cardinals starting field position from the Giants 9 yard line, the defense showed how it can stretch itself across the field to contain explosive playmakers.

As head coach Joe Judge said in this week’s Joe Judge Report, the defense knew “their job is to make the stop regardless of what it is.” And they did just that on a fourth and goal from the 1 yard line.

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Judge said the defense knew that the Cardinals were a run-heavy team, and they needed to build a wall at the line of scrimmage to stop them from going vertically into the end zone. They held, and forced Murray to make a challenging pass which was broken up by Bradberry.

For much of the first half of the Giants’ loss to Arizona, the defense was able to make open field tackles on Murray. They’ll have to make plenty more this week on Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

Those backs will have to do what other teams have largely been unable to do, sustain a run game against the Giants’ defensive line. The Giants currently have 70.5 total tackles for loss on the season, which is a good indication on their ability to blow up rushes before the back can get going.

Defensive end Leonard Williams leads the team in tackles for losses with 11.5. But former Cleveland Brown Jabrill Peppers isn’t too far behind with 8.5. And defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and linebacker Blake Martinez also have eight.

Further, the Browns will have to worry about Williams on all aspects of the game. He is currently tied eighth overall in the NFL with 8.5 sacks, and fourth in sack yards with 81. Getting to Browns’ quarterback Baker Mayfield and pinning their offense in long-distance conversions will force Cleveland to abandon the run.

If the Giants’ defense can continue to stop a team’s rushing game plan, they stand a better chance to win this game. But this week they have two superstars in the backfield to contain to get it done.