Midseason report card: New York Giants

After advancing to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 last season, the New York Giants are playing remedial football in 2023. 

Offense: F

Averaging 185.7 yards per game through the air, New York finished the 2022 regular season with the sixth-worst passing numbers in the NFL. Rather than address the issue by adding more talent at wide receiver, general manager Joe Schoen signed injury-prone tight end Darren Waller instead. 

Waller hasn’t missed a game yet, but a hamstring injury is about to cost him several weeks according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. That’s not good for a passing offense now averaging a league-worst 155.1 yards per game.

If not for running back Saquon Barkley, the Giants offense would be virtually non-existent. Unfortunately, Barkley’s 82.4 yards per game won’t mean much as long as he shares the backfield with the NFL’s lowest-rated starting quarterback.

Defense: B-

The Giants defense has been a mixed bag this year. Their pass defense has been solid, giving up just 211.5 yards passing per game, but only eight teams give up more yards on the ground. 

Linebacker Bobby Okereke lands just outside the top 10 with a team-leading 73 tackles while defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux’s 8.5 sacks are tied with Cleveland’s Myles Garrett for the fourth-most sacks in the league.

Dexter Lawrence has also played well. Last week against the Jets, the All-Pro defensive tackle had a sack, one tackle for loss, five quarterback hits and 15 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.