The Giants defense was ranked ninth in the NFL last season and tenth in rushing yards allowed.
This season, the defense was expected to be the team's calling card, especially with additions made through free agency and the draft. Unfortunately, that has not exactly been the outcome so far.
Last year, the defense would stuff the run and force you to beat them by going over the top is ranked 29th in rush defense and 25th against the pass.
Despite these rankings, it has not been all bad. In the first nine games this year, the defense has performed their best rendition of Jekyll and Hyde.
After surrendering 27 and 30 points in the first two games against Denver and Washington, they allowed 17 points against Atlanta and 21 points against New Orleans.
Then the wheels fell off. They gave up 44 points to the Cowboys and the following week gave up 38 to the Rams. But as soon as it seemed as if the defense was lifeless and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's schemes were no longer effective, they gave up three points to Carolina, 20 points to Kansas City, and 16 points to Las Vegas, winning two of those three games.
The questions for many are what went wrong, what went right, and which defense is the one we could expect to see over the next eight games?
What Went Wrong?
The Giants underestimated the worth of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. They most likely believed that Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence were good enough that they could drop any decent nose guard in between them, and the run defense would not miss a beat.
They were wrong. Tomlinson was not only great at eating up double teams, but he was also great at shedding blockers and making tackles. He averaged over 50 tackles per season in his four years with New York. His absence has been felt.
The Giants were also not planning to spend the season without middle linebacker Blake Martinez. The early-season loss to Atlanta proved to be much more costly than a game when it was announced that Martinez would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL.
The three games that followed showed how much the middle of the defense was compromised. The Saints rushed for 170 yards, the Cowboys ran for 201 yards, and the Rams amassed 131 yards.
In football, you must be strong up the middle, and the Giants were not for a good portion of the season. Whether it was financial reasons or injury, the Giants were not ready to make up for the loss at those two key positions.
It's not easy to replace 201 tackles from two players on the fly, and that is what the Giants coaching staff was tasked with doing.
What Went Right?
It took an extra season, but the Giants realized how good safety Xavier McKinney could be.
It was a surprise that McKinney was still available in the second round and when the Giants snagged him with the 36th pick, it seemed as if he would be an instant plug-and-play guy in that Patrick Graham system which seemed to value versatility.
Unfortunately, injuries took away most of McKinney's rookie season, but the four-game sample as a starter gave a glimpse into what could be.
He has been a constant performer at free safety this season. Through nine games this season (eight as a starter), he has 46 tackles, seven pass breakups, and four interceptions. That's the making of a pro bowl season.
The Giants found another second-round jewel, but they didn't have to wait until year two to know what they had. Outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari hit the ground running, getting pressure on the quarterback, and now he's at the halfway point with five and a half sacks.
His contribution isn't a luxury on a team where sacks have been at a premium; it's a necessity. It is vital that his ability to bring speed off the edge with a motor to chase ball carriers down when they run away.
His usage has increased as the season has progressed. As the season moves into the second half, Ojulari will be relied on to help pull this defense out of the basement.
Will the Real Giants Defense Please Stand Up?
Fans can only hope that the defense we've seen over the past three games is what we see the rest of the way.
There's a reason for that optimism. Instead of leaning on a couple of players to make tackles in the run game, more players are getting to the ball carrier.
Inside linebackers Reggie Ragland and Tae Crowder seem more comfortable manning the defense's interior, along with safety Logan Ryan, who continues to provide good run support. That should help the run defense continue to improve.
Adoree' Jackson and James Bradberry have both provided excellent run support, but it's pretty safe to say that we've seen both cover better than they have at times in the first half of the season.
Jackson has had his hands on a few passes and have not been able to haul them in. That's unusual since he's been an excellent returner over the years.
Bradberry has three interceptions, but he's also been beaten on more deep routes than he's accustomed to, and double moves have been an issue. Both players are veterans, and they will clean up their play.
Upfront, Leonard Williams remains one of the most versatile defensive linemen in the NFL. No, he's not a pass rush specialist, but he has as many sacks as Ojulari and 50 tackles. Austin Johnson is third on the team in sacks (3) but still doesn't command respect from interior offensive linemen as Tomlinson did.
He will continue to improve. Dexter Lawrence needs to be more explosive and disruptive in the second half. We have not seen the same volume of splash plays as we saw a year ago. Expect him to break out the funk at some point; he's too good not to.
This defense should be able to build off what they have done over the past three weeks, primarily since the bye week provides them with time to get healthy and clean up any poor technique or holes in the defense.
Fans have the right to feel cautious, but they should have optimism. This defense has the talent to be a top-ten unit if they can stay consistent by the end of the season.
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