{"id":1032623,"date":"2026-10-20T12:30:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/1032623\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:30:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:30:21","slug":"giants-defense-and-special-teams-grades-charlie-jones-fumble-turns-the-tide-in-loss-to-saints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/1032623\/","title":{"rendered":"Giants Defense and Special Teams Grades: Charlie Jones\u2019 Fumble Turns the Tide in Loss to Saints"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s dive into this week\u2019s New York Giants<\/a> defensive and special teams player grades from the Week 6 loss to the New Orleans Saints.<\/p>\n

Defensive LineD.J. Reader<\/p>\n

The defense\u2019s best interior player continued to produce this week with a whopping 7 total tackles from the nose tackle position. <\/p>\n

Reader made plays in short yardage, stayed home to handle cutbacks, and regularly stood up blockers and double teams. Too bad he can\u2019t rush the passer, because he does most everything else, primarily between the tackles.<\/p>\n

Bobby Jamison-Travis<\/p>\n

In his first pro game, the big rookie recorded 2 solo tackles simply by standing his ground and letting the play come to him. <\/p>\n

Alas, he was pushed around a bit too easily and washed out of his lane without putting up enough of a fight. At times he seemed light on his feet but never heavy-footed enough to hold his ground.<\/p>\n

Shelby Harris<\/p>\n

Though he managed 3 total tackles this week, we thought Harris had a barely visible game, which is something we\u2019ve seen from him lately. He started the season slowly and picked it up over the last two weeks, but this week he took a step back, got pushed around too much, and couldn\u2019t find his way to the ball.<\/p>\n

Darius Alexander<\/p>\n

After what we thought was a more visible and combative game last week, Alexander was regularly pushed around and abused out there this week in the pit. <\/p>\n

We saw several pancakes and a whole lot of too-late-to-the-party arrivals from the defensive tackle, who was rarely engaged at the point of attack without taking abuse.<\/p>\n

Jihad Ward<\/p>\n

Getting some rotational edge snaps, both standing up and in a 3-point stance, Ward proved too slow to close in space and not very physical between the tackles. He got in on 1 tackle, but his presence was negligible at best.<\/p>\n

Outside Linebackers\"New<\/p>\n

New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Abdul Carter<\/p>\n

Carter started the game fast with several pressures and two drawn pass-blocking penalties, but the Saints quickly adjusted and threw bodies at him, which slowed his impact. <\/p>\n

In the second half, Carter played less and seemed slowed by the calf injury he suffered last week, which perhaps stiffened up at halftime. <\/p>\n

Though he played physically throughout the second half, he lacked his typical explosiveness and never could find the ball. He finished the game with a solitary quarterback hit, his only mention on the stat sheet. <\/p>\n

Without Carter\u2019s big playmaking, the defense sagged, especially in the second half, when Carter didn\u2019t appear until the seventh snap of the Saints\u2019 opening third-quarter drive.<\/p>\n

Kayvon Thibodeaux<\/p>\n

Playing most snaps at outside linebacker this week, Thibodeaux got most of his 5 total tackles late in the game. <\/p>\n

That was when the Saints pulled in the reins on their offense, and he physically closed down inside runs without a care in the world about containing his edge. <\/p>\n

He was a complete non-factor on the pass rush all game long, unless you want to call his third-quarter roughing-the-passer penalty on a bootlegging quarterback a successful pass rush; it wasn\u2019t. <\/p>\n

Six games into his contract year, Thibodeaux hasn\u2019t had a single impact play for his defense, despite getting plenty of playing time and opportunities.<\/p>\n

Trace Ford<\/p>\n

Getting another elevation from the practice squad, Ford got a heavy dose of outside linebacker snaps (especially with Carter struggling). <\/p>\n

Like so many of his teammates, Ford did not impress. His 2 tackles came in pursuit and were flash plays, but when he couldn\u2019t make plays on his edge, he showed a lack of the quick twitch and athleticism required. <\/p>\n

Ford was sucked to the inside on a handful of edge contains that went around him too easily; his inside move is his go-to reaction, but it leaves the wide stuff too vulnerable. Ford\u2019s pass rushes were easily neutralized.<\/p>\n

Inside Linebackers\"New<\/p>\n

Oct 18, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (5) is tackled by New York Giants middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Tremaine Edmunds<\/p>\n

Edmunds played another impactful game in the middle, and each of his 9 total tackles came at an important moment to stop the bleeding. <\/p>\n

As the Saints extended their second-half lead, Edmunds\u2019 tackles started to come farther downfield as the defensive pit crew wasn\u2019t holding up. <\/p>\n

There were no flash plays from the inside linebacker, but it was another solid effort from a free-agent signing who hasn’t disappointed.<\/p>\n

Arvell Reese<\/p>\n

The Giants\u2019 dynamic rookie continued to show improvement week to week. This week, his pass coverage really stood out. Reese not only recognized his reads and reacted quickly, but he stayed with them as the plays stretched and consistently blanketed his man. <\/p>\n

On one edge play, Reese annihilated an O-lineman who flew backward into the ball carrier\u2019s back for the tackle. The physicality is consistent from this kid. He made several face-up tackles between the tackles that shook the rafters. <\/p>\n

Though he somehow finished with only 5 total tackles, Reese also recovered a second-half fumble that contributed to the team\u2019s exciting but aborted comeback.<\/p>\n

Defensive Backs\"New<\/p>\n

Oct 18, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants cornerback Greg Newsome II (20) celebrates after breaking up a pass intended for New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (not pictured) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Greg Newsome II<\/p>\n

After playing another positive, aggressive game, Newsome had to leave with a concussion and did not return. The injury came early in the third quarter and really affected the defense. <\/p>\n

A player like Newsome may play the game too hard; he\u2019s just not built for the physicality that he tries to play with. <\/p>\n

Playing too hard doesn\u2019t seem like something you want to tell an athlete competing at this or any level, but if it keeps taking you off the field, you may have to learn to play smarter. Newsome finished with 3 total tackles and a pass defensed.<\/p>\n

Deonte Banks<\/p>\n

Banks played another stellar cover game on the edges, and the coaches eventually moved him to cover the Saints\u2019 best receiver, Chris Olave, after Newsome left the game. <\/p>\n

Banks finished with 4 total tackles and another pass defensed as his coverage game continues to thrive in this aggressive scheme. <\/p>\n

Put Banks in a zone, and he\u2019s not the same player. Put him in the face of the opponent\u2019s best receiver, and he\u2019s psyched. <\/p>\n

Unlike Newsome, Banks has the goods to hold up in a physical game, even though he does NOT play a physical game. If only he and Newsome could trade personalities.<\/p>\n

Dru Phillips<\/p>\n

The defense\u2019s Top Dawg continues to play fine up and down the line of scrimmage. When a tackle needs to be made, and several others shy away, count on Phillips to step in and do the dirty work. <\/p>\n

He recorded 4 more tackles this week, but he got lost in coverage in the end zone and gave up a fourth-down touchdown that really hurt. <\/p>\n

Phillips was also beaten deep on a second-half all-out blitz, but the pass was overthrown. He did well to run with his man rather than grab him, and the blitz forced the quarterback into an early throw, ergo the miss.<\/p>\n

Nic Jones<\/p>\n

After Newsome went down with a concussion, Jones got all of Newsome\u2019s snaps and was eventually targeted on a fade to Olave, who hauled in the perfect pass despite Jones\u2019 tight coverage; Jones just missed knocking the ball away. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s tough to criticize Jones\u2019 coverage here. We thought he played well otherwise.<\/p>\n

Jevon Holland<\/p>\n

Tying for the team lead with 9 total tackles, the team\u2019s top safety played a quiet game, mostly a deep contain game that kept the Saints\u2019 receivers in front of him. <\/p>\n

He is a real asset whenever the defense calls one of those zero max-blitz things, as he is so alert and plays with such great instinct that the offense rarely beats the coverage. <\/p>\n

A bunch of his tackles came early in run-support contain while the Saints gouged the defense on the ground.<\/p>\n

Jason Pinnock<\/p>\n

Getting the start, Pinnock was sharp on several of his early blitzes (a Pinnock specialty). In fact, we thought his alertness in coverage was a big plus for the Giants defense. He forced the second-half fumble and finished with 2 tackles and 1 pass defensed. <\/p>\n

We\u2019d have to say Pinnock is more of a coverage safety than a run-support one. His fall-off missed tackle on the Alvin Kamara 31-yard touchdown catch-and-run \u2014 a boundary tackle Pinnock had to make \u2014 should have been just a 3-yard gain. <\/p>\n

Instead, it gave the Saints the third-quarter lead, and they never looked back.<\/p>\n

Ar\u2019Darius Washington<\/p>\n

The uber-aggressive Washington, a blood brother in style to Dru Phillips, finished with 4 solo tackles, and each one seemed big. It\u2019s hard not to like the way that Washington plays this game; not just hard, but fast. If he were just a few inches taller, he\u2019d be an unquestioned starter in this league. <\/p>\n

As it stands now, we hate to see him come off the field. We prefer our secondary to play hard, fast, aggressive football, as Washington does. <\/p>\n

He\u2019s not big enough to play a physical style, but he beats the other guy to the punch so often that he rarely absorbs a hit; he almost always delivers it. We\u2019ll take him on our team any time.<\/p>\n

Special TeamsDominic Zvada<\/p>\n

For the second successive week, the special teams came up short. Last week it was Zvada with 3 field goal misses. <\/p>\n

This week the rookie flubbed the kickoff at the end of the game, allowing the Saints to bring it out of the end zone and burn the two-minute warning stoppage when he was supposed to kick it through. <\/p>\n

That miskick cost the Giants at least 30 seconds on their last-gasp drive. Zvada converted both of his field goal attempts (34 and 41 yards), but at the end of these games, the little things often count. The rookie was told what to do; he just failed to do it.<\/p>\n

Jordan Stout<\/p>\n

After punting 5 times this week, Stout didn\u2019t have his best game. His first punt was supposed to be a pooch inside the 20, but his low 44-yarder was returned for 21 yards. That can\u2019t happen. <\/p>\n

His next punt was a 66-yard boomer, but it was returned another 15 yards. <\/p>\n

A 46-yarder had good height and yielded just a 3-yard return. A 59-yarder gave up a 23-yard return. <\/p>\n

Stout\u2019s final punt, a 56-yarder, had a 6-yard return. Though Stout\u2019s gross average was a healthy 54.2, the Saints\u2019 68 return yards brought his net down to 40.6.<\/p>\n

Ben Mann<\/p>\n

Nothing wrong with this rookie\u2019s deep-snapping day. Solid across the board.<\/p>\n

Charlie Jones\"New<\/p>\n

Oct 18, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Charlie Jones (89) catches a kickoff against the New Orleans Saints during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

The turning point of this week\u2019s game was Jones\u2019 reckless kickoff-return fumble at the 1:11 mark of the second quarter. The Giants led 10-3 and looked to extend the lead, but Jones failed to protect the ball, showing an egregious lack of ball-security focus as he entered traffic. <\/p>\n

That play changed the entire texture of the game. New Orleans capitalized on the field position at the NYG 28 and scored to tie the game at the half. <\/p>\n

It was like the air in the Giants\u2019 balloon had been punctured. The Saints then dominated the third quarter, and that was that. Jones bounced back with solid returns and several catches, but the damage was already done.<\/p>\n

On the day, Jones returned 4 punts for 33 yards and averaged 22.3 yards on 3 kickoff returns.<\/p>\n

Notably, three special teams penalties erased 65 yards of the team\u2019s returns. To say this team\u2019s special teams played a sloppy game and are one of the culprits for the loss is putting it mildly.<\/p>\n

Tyrone Tracy<\/p>\n

If we had our druthers, we would promote Tracy to primary kickoff returner, as we trust him to take a hit and hold onto the ball far more than we trust Charlie Jones. <\/p>\n

Tracy did return 2 kickoffs for 22.5 yards per return and held onto the ball.<\/p>\n

Zaire Barnes<\/p>\n

The special teams\u2019 coverage leader had a tackle on punt coverage and another on kickoff coverage. Barnes also committed one of the more blatant blocks in the back on a punt return that you will ever see. Like the rest of the team this week, Barnes was plain sloppy.<\/p>\n

Malik Harrison<\/p>\n

Signed to the roster this week, the veteran Harrison led the special teams with 3 total tackles, 2 on kickoff coverage and 1 on punt coverage. Harrison is as solid on special teams as the night is long.<\/p>\n

Nic Jones<\/p>\n

Starting at gunner, the team did not get good gunner play this week from either starter, as none of the gunners could beat their blocking and cover tightly downfield.<\/p>\n

Elijah Campbell<\/p>\n

This veteran was dominated on the Saints\u2019 longest punt return of the day, 23 yards around his abandoned edge. Campbell did get credit for the tackle when he chased the returner out of bounds.<\/p>\n

Chris Manhertz<\/p>\n

The Giants tight end was flagged for an iffy holding call on a kickoff return.<\/p>\n

Thomas Fidone II<\/p>\n

Adding to his woes on a day that he\u2019d rather forget (translation: nothing went right for the young tight end this week), Fidone was flagged for a blindside \u201cnudge\u201d on a punt return, a very questionable call.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s dive into this week\u2019s New York Giants defensive and special teams player grades from the Week 6…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1032624,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2067],"tags":[7,519,1917,56,2321,2469,6],"class_list":["post-1032623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york-giants","tag-football","tag-giants","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-giants","tag-newyork","tag-newyorkgiants","tag-nfl"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/117473249426134135","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1032623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1032623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1032623\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1032624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1032623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1032623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1032623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}