It’s a weird season the Giants have going defensively. They’re leading the league in sacks, but they simultaneously rank last in interceptions.
That hardly seems possible. You would think that increased quarterback pressure would result in more hurried and off-target passes, with more of those balls being intercepted. Yet the Giants have picked off only one pass in 10 games.
It’s looking like they should have kept safety Xavier McKinney (pictured) around. They let him sign with Green Bay, and he’s intercepted 6 passes on his own – starting the season with picks in five straight games.
Or, perhaps, the Giants have just been unlucky, with this being a trend that will correct to a degree in the second half of the season.
In the last 30 years, 15 other defenses have averaged at least 3.5 sacks per game. Those defenses averaged 19 interceptions, with all but one of them finishing with at least 15. (The 2008 Cowboys finished with 59 sacks but only 8 interceptions.)
By my count, there are only two “interception friendly” quarterback left on New York’s schedule. Dallas will start a backup quarterback on Thanksgiving, and Anthony Richardson should start against New York in Week 17. Other remaining expected starters: Baker Mayfield, Derek Carr, Lamar Jackson, Kirk Cousins and Jalen Hurts.
Giants seem more likely to fall off in sacks rather than increasing dramatically in picks.
New York enters Week 12 with 36 sacks in 10 games. The Broncos currently have 3 more sacks but have played one more game (so are averaging slightly fewer per game).
| DEFENSES AVERAGING 3.5 SACKS PER GAME (last 30 yrs) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | G | Sack | S/G | TD | Int |
| 2000 | New Orleans | 16 | 66 | 4.13 | 17 | 20 |
| 2022 | Philadelphia | 17 | 70 | 4.12 | 22 | 17 |
| 2006 | San Diego | 16 | 61 | 3.81 | 19 | 16 |
| 2006 | Baltimore | 16 | 60 | 3.75 | 16 | 28 |
| 1996 | Carolina | 16 | 60 | 3.75 | 17 | 22 |
| 2013 | Carolina | 16 | 60 | 3.75 | 17 | 20 |
| 2008 | Dallas | 16 | 59 | 3.69 | 19 | 8 |
| 1997 | New Orleans | 16 | 59 | 3.69 | 21 | 16 |
| 2024 | NY Giants | 10 | 36 | 3.60 | 12 | 1 |
| 2013 | Buffalo | 16 | 57 | 3.56 | 28 | 23 |
| 1999 | Jacksonville | 16 | 57 | 3.56 | 18 | 19 |
| 1999 | St. Louis | 16 | 57 | 3.56 | 19 | 29 |
| 2023 | Baltimore | 17 | 60 | 3.53 | 18 | 18 |
| 2002 | Philadelphia | 16 | 56 | 3.50 | 18 | 15 |
| 2020 | Pittsburgh | 16 | 56 | 3.50 | 22 | 18 |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh | 16 | 56 | 3.50 | 20 | 16 |
—Ian Allan