Michael Penix provides challenge for New York Giants defense

As the New York Giants prepare to face the Atlanta Falcons this weekend, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen addressed the challenges faced by Atlanta’s switch this week to rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who is making his first NFL start.

“He can sling it,” Bowen said. “He puts [the ball] in places receivers can catch it.”

There is little NFL film on Penix.

“You’ve got the preseason game, Miami, and a little bit against Denver late in the game,” Bowen explained. “So, you go back, you watch Washington, try to get a feel for him… That’s where the biggest body of work is.”

Bowen sees Penix as more of a pocket passer in the NFL, though he warned against giving him open running lanes. “He can run. If there’s space, he’s going to take off,” Bowen said.

Dealing with challenges

The Giants’ defense has struggled with consistency, particularly in blown coverages. Bowen attributed this to execution rather than personnel issues. “We’ve got to be better [at] executing. We can’t let guys free and [need to] make sure we’re deep when we need to be deep.”

Injuries have exacerbated these struggles, with constant roster changes creating challenges. “Last week, I don’t know if we went into the game with one cornerback that was here in training camp,” Bowen said. Despite these hurdles, he praised the team’s resilience and adaptability.

Bowen also highlighted key contributors on the defensive line, including Elijah Chatman, whose work in the run game has been exemplary, and Elijah Garcia, who made a notable stop on Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry last week.

“I think (defensive tackle) Chat (Elijah Chatman) has done a really good job, increasing his workload on early downs. There’s some teach tape clips of him in the run game, fundamentally getting off the ball and striking, where he’s done a really good job being disruptive for us,” Bowen said. “I think (defensive lineman Elijah) Garcia is showing up. His length is showing up. He made a play on (Baltimore Ravens running back) Derrick (Henry) down in the red zone last week where he was able to get off the block and tackle Derrick.

“Really, all those guys have stepped up. I think (defensive tackle) Jordon (Riley) has improved from the time he had a little bit earlier in the year to now and getting more reps and more practice. I think, as a group, that unit has done a good job of taking advantage of their opportunities for the most part.”