The New York Giants defense was expected to be pretty good in 2020, but it was a definite surprise that they emerged as a top-10 unit in Patrick Graham’s first year.
The Giants invested in their defense over the course of the 2020 off-season, but it was Graham’s coverage scheming that helped the Giants’ defense make the jump from good to surprisingly good. At the core of Graham’s scheme were coverage concepts which revolved around nickel and dime packages and rotating coverages. Those concepts helped cover up deficiencies in the Giants’ roster, create a pass rush which notched 40 sacks, land the Giants sixth in the NFL in passing touchdowns surrendered.