After serving as the New York Giants' interim head coach in 2017 and winning a Super Bowl with the Giants in 2007, it's obvious that Steve Spagnuolo knows the franchise incredibly well. And the four-time Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator was finally able to tap into that wealth of Giants knowledge in Week 3 when Big Blue hosted the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.
Russell Wilson threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2, and Spagnuolo made sure history wouldn't repeat itself. In Kansas City's 22-9 demolition of the Giants, Wilson was held to just 160 passing yards and threw two costly interceptions. The game was the straw that broke the camel's back for the 36-year-old, as Brian Daboll benched Wilson in favor of first-round rookie Jaxson Dart.
What worked so well for Wilson and the G-Men against Dallas was his signature "moonball," but Spags came with adjustments to combat that. Kansas City featured split safeties on 78.9% of Giants dropbacks in Week 3, which was the highest rate by a team this season. Which might've just exposed Daboll's offensive game plan to the rest of the world.
The Chiefs featured split-safeties on 78.9% of dropbacks against the Giants, the highest rate by any team this season.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 22, 2025
The unit generated a 41.4% pressure rate and held Russell Wilson to 0 for 5 with an interception on deep passes in split-safety coverage.
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Steve Spagnuolo's defensive strategy took away Giants' key playmakers
The defensive coordinator's strategy worked like a charm. New York's air attack had surprisingly been one of the best in football in 2025, but both Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson were non-factors in Week 3. Instead, rookie running back Cam Skattebo led the way with six receptions for 61 yards and was the only Giants' pass-catcher to record more than 30 receiving yards.
Nabers amassed just two receptions for 13 yards in the loss and the superstar wideout did not record his first reception until the fourth quarter. That's a testament to how fantastic a job Spagnuolo and Trent McDuffie did in taking away New York's Pro Bowl receiver.
And let's be honest, if Nabers is neutralized, the G-Men's offense is too. He's the straw that stirs the drink, and Spags just exposed how to stop an already-limited attack even more.
It's incredibly rare to see a team manage to completely neutralize a superstar talent like Nabers, but there's a reason this unit is allowing less than 20 points per game. Patrick Mahomes will always be KC's headliner, but this game was won by the defense.
Not only was Spags the interim head coach after Ben McAdoo was fired, but he also interviewed for the Giants' head coaching vacancy that ultimately went to Pat Shurmur. He was subsequently hired by Andy Reid in a move that's been a rousing success, and years later, he reminded everyone exactly what New York let slip away. He also showed every other DC how to play against Big Blue moving forward, which is terrifying.