Why the New York Giants’ defense could struggle in 2020

The New York Giants have made it a priority to build around youth, especially on defense where they had seven rookies starting at one point in 2019. While this is good for the overhauling of the roster and establishment of a new regimen, the Giants haven’t been able to rely on any sort of consistency.

After the 2019 season, the Giants fired head coach Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator James Bettcher, and several coaches. The defense had shown signs of life at times under Bettcher, but a heavy zone scheme played against their player’s strengths.

Bettcher utilized a very versatile and intricate system, and incumbent defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will bring a mesh of different concepts.

When asked about his schematic beliefs, Graham gave a simple answer: “Yes.”

Former Giant, Avery Moss, stated that Bettcher’s scheme was one of the most difficult he’s ever been a part of. Graham’s simply makes sense and offers a more siplisitic approach.

How will the New York Giants operate on defense?

Graham will look to be multiple with his system and defense, utilizing 4-3 and 3-4 base defenses. The diversity Graham promotes should create an adaptive defense, which can change based on the opponent. That’s the ultimate goal with any defense, changing the style of play to fit the strengths of the opposing offense. Whether they have a strong passing game, a strong running game, or both, the goal is for the Giants’ defense to hold up and bend but not break.

Often than not, the Giants’ defense was steamrolled in 2019, mainly due to a lack of experience and talent at nearly every position.

However, installing an intricate defense will not be an easy feat. The Giants will need time for their young players to adapt and develop within the system that Graham implements. That is why I believe the defense will struggle in 2020, especially without the significant reps during the preseason available. They will transition from training camp directly into the regular season, which will hurt the progression of the team and likely create confusion on both sides of the ball with new systems.

However, with a strong coaching staff in place, the Giants can hopefully put their team in a position of success. The 2020 campaign was always going to be problematic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing it as a rebuilding year with the installment of new schematics makes the most sense, so I wouldn’t anticipate the Giants being a well-rounded team in the first year of coaching overhaul.

EXTRA:

Graham was quietly excited about interior defensive lineman Leonard Williams, mentioning his versatility.

He was also keen to mention Dexter Lawrence’s size and how excited he is to get him active on defense.