The Giants are one of seven NFL teams that have allowed 15 or more passing touchdowns through their first nine games of the season. After Sunday’s 21-20 loss to the Chargers, New York is a disappointing 5-4.
The other six defenses that have given up 15 scores through the air are the Titans, Lions, Buccaneers, Bears, Packers and Jaguars. Those six squads are a combined 16-32 this season — not exactly the company Tom Coughlin’s team wants to keep.
After rolling to a 5-0 mark early on, the Giants have lost their last four games and have fallen 1 1/2 games behind the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys.
Not surprisingly, New York’s five-game winning streak coincided with the Giants facing mediocre passing attacks, while the four-game skid came with the G-Men facing a quartet of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL.
Despite playing without cornerback Aaron Ross and safety Kenny Phillips, the Giants were able to handle Jason Campbell, Tony Romo, Josh Johnson, Matt Cassel and JaMarcus Russell.
That wasn't the case, though, when the opposition starred Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, Donovan McNabb and Philip Rivers. All four of those signal-callers played major roles in their respective teams’ victories over the Giants. The most recent evidence was Rivers’ game-winning touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson with 21 seconds remaining on Sunday.
Fortunately for the G-Men, they get their long-awaited bye in Week 10, which should enable Ross to return from his hamstring woes. The 27-year-old is the Giants’ best cover corner and should immediately bolster their passing defense when he’s reinserted into the lineup.
However, Ross and the New York defensive backfield will be tested in the weeks following their bye. Matt Ryan looms in Week 11, followed by Kyle Orton, a much-improved Romo and McNabb.
If New York’s secondary hasn’t solved its problems before those divisional rematches in Weeks 13 and 14, the G-Men will be out of contention long before Christmas.
