Here is some simple addition: The Giants invested $99 million in two free agents plus high draft picks in four youngsters to build a premier secondary.
It’s the more complex math — like the geometry involved in identifying correct tackling angles and the calculus formulas for substitution patterns — that is creating headaches as the Giants struggle to get a return on investment from the back end of their defense.
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tRY IT NOW“I feel like we play some of the hardest positions on the field,” safety Tyler Nubin said. “When you make a mistake, it’s a touchdown, or they are moving the ball quite a good amount. We have to be better. We can be better on first and second down so we can put them in disadvantageous positions so that we can go eat.”
Nubin lost leverage and bit on a double move that allowed speedster Rashid Shaheed to get deep for an 87-yard touchdown in Sunday’s loss to the Saints.
It was reminiscent of Nubin chasing after the ball on long touchdown runs by the Cowboys (when he filled the wrong gap) and Chargers (when was slow to the edge) earlier this season.
“We’re working through some things, doing our best to teach them these techniques, these fundamentals,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said, “and hopefully we can work out the kinks and become a little bit more consistent and not have those plays that put us in harm’s way.”
When the Giants are in the right position, flags are flying.
Dru Phillips — who leads the NFL with eight passes defended, including two interceptions — offers a give-and-take as the league’s most-penalized defensive player.
Rotational cornerback Deonte Banks — who quickly gets targeted whenever he checks in for starter Cor’Dale Flott on third downs — is among the most-flagged players-per-snap (four on 100 compared to Phillips’ six on 275).