Pro Football Focus takeaways from Week 6 win over Baltimore
The Giants won their third consecutive game on Sunday as they defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 24-20, at MetLife Stadium to move to 5-1.
Big Blue has now exceeded the team's 2021 victory total with 11 games remaining. This is their best record through six games since they were 5-1 in 2009.
The team saw strong performances from players on both sides of the ball in the win, including several rookies.
Here are takeaways from Pro Football Focus from the big Week 6 win.
*Another week, another dominant outing from Dexter Lawrence. The fourth-year defensive lineman led the team with five total pressures, including a sack, which led an elite 89.5 overall grade. He finished with a pass breakup and two quarterback hits, along with a pass rush grade of 81.7.
"Baltimore Ravens rookie center Tyler Linderbaum will be having nightmares about Lawrence for weeks after yesterday," wrote PFF's Gordon McGuinness. "The former 17th overall draft pick continued what looks set to be his best season in the NFL, making life miserable for the Ravens from the interior. He registered five total pressures in the game and was also a force against the run, producing a 75.6 PFF grade in that facet of play."
*Lawrence's 90.3 overall mark on the season ranks fourth at his position, trailing only Kansas City's Chris Jones (93.2), Los Angeles' Aaron Donald (91.3) and Cincinnati's D.J. Reader (91.0).
*Safety Julian Love registered the defense's first interception of the season, but his performance in coverage goes well beyond that. Love allowed just two receptions on seven targets and earned a passer rating against of just 6.0. He earned an outstanding 86.3 coverage grade. Love also showcased his versatility by lining up on the defensive line, in the box, at free safety, at slot corner and outside corner.
*Outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux had one of the biggest plays of the game when he strip-sacked Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson late in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory. The rookie recorded three total pressures, his third consecutive game with 3+ pressures, and earned a 70.0 pass rush grade.
*Thibodeaux's 70.0 pass rush grade on the season leads all rookie edge defenders.
*In his first game back since Week 2, Leonard Williams earned a solid 69.5 overall grade. Williams recovered the key fumble forced by Thibodeaux.
*The defense had several players finish with strong tackling grades - S Xavier McKinney (86.2), CB Fabian Moreau (80.9), ILB Tae Crowder (79.9) and OLB Jihad Ward (72.0).
*The Giants saw several of their offensive linemen receive strong grades for their performances against Baltimore, starting with left guard Ben Bredeson who received a 78.8 overall grade. Bredeson dominated in pass protection where he got an 87.4 mark after he did not allow a single pressure on 34 pass block snaps. He also received a 72.5 run block grade.
*Right guard Mark Glowinski wasn't far behind Bredeson with a 72.5 overall grade, including solid marks in both his pass (70.6) and run (69.4) blocking.
*Right tackle Evan Neal had one of his finest games of the season with a 70.5 overall grade. He allowed just two hurries on 34 pass block snaps.
*LT Andrew Thomas' 90.2 overall grade on the year still leads all offensive linemen.
*Neal wasn't the only rookie to stand out. WR Wan'Dale Robinson played in his first game since injuring his knee in Week 1 and finished with a 76.6 overall grade. He caught three passes for 37 yards and his first career touchdown, and also finished with the highest run block grade on the team with his 78.3 on three run plays.
*Daniel Bellinger was another first-year player to have a strong outing in Week 6. The tight end scored his third touchdown of the season and totaled five receptions for 38 yards, both of which led the team. He earned a 76.0 overall grade, including a 74.5 mark on 28 run block snaps.
*Bellinger's 75.9 overall grade on the season is now the fourth-highest mark among NFL tight ends.
*The Giants had several other skill position players step up when asked to block as well. Running back Saquon Barkley earned a 75.4 grade on eight pass block snaps. Meanwhile, wide receivers Richie James Jr. (77.8 on nine run block snaps) and Marcus Johnson (75.7 on 13 run block snaps) were two of the highest-graded Giants in run blocking on Sunday.
Experts react: 'This Giants team is unflappable'
The Giants welcomed the Baltimore Ravens to MetLife Stadium on Sunday for a Week 6 matchup.
For the third time in just six games, the Giants came back to win in a game that they trailed by 10+ points, matching the franchise single season record.
Experts across the NFL landscape weighed in on the Giants' big win over Baltimore and their torrid start to the 2022 season.
Here are expert takeaways.
King named Kayvon Thibodeaux one of the Defensive Players of the Week.
"After missing the start of his rookie season with a knee injury, it took until week six for Kayvon Thibodeaux to get the breakout moment fitting for his status as the number five overall pick. With the Giants holding a slim four-point lead and the Ravens driving late in the fourth, Thibodeaux strip-sacked Lamar Jackson, and Leonard Williams recovered to seal the win for the G-Men. The moment clearly meant a lot to Thibodeaux, whose Giants are now 5-1 and keeping pace in a red-hot NFC East." -- King
Kerr said Brian Daboll winning Coach of the Year is reality.
"The Giants are 5-1 and already have more wins then they had all of last year. A healthy Saquon Barkley helps, but New York is winning with Daniel Jones and a subpar offensive line. Beating the Ravens is another excellent win for an emerging Giants team that's starting to believe they are more than just a Cinderella story. This is the first time since 2009 the Giants have started 5-1 or better in the Super Bowl era. Daboll is the first Giants coach since Allie Sherman in 1961 to begin his career 5-1. Jones has four game-winning drives as New York is 5-1 in one-score games -- the only team this season to have each of its games be decided by eight points or less. Daboll might not be just the Coach of the Year. He might be one of the best in the league -- already." -- Kerr
Bautista calls the Giants the biggest surprise of the 2022 NFL season.
"They are, arguably, the biggest surprise of the NFL season in large part because in recent years, they lost games like this, so many of them, the ones where they got down by double digits early, where their playmakers were shut down for long stretches, where there were mistakes and hurdles and all the things that trip up teams that had a tendency to sag at the first sign of trouble." -- Bautista
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