Shane Bowen: Fixing the run defense ‘starts with mentality’

The New York Giants’ defense has struggled mightily in trying to stop the run.

Through seven games, the Giants are last in the league in yards per carried allowed. It won’t get easier for this struggling unit, as their next opponent (the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football) has run the football almost more than any team in the league this season.

With Najee Harris getting into a groove with consecutive back-to-back 100-yard outings, the Giants seem to have their hands full this week. The Giants have added defensive tackle Armon Watts off the practice squad to hopefully help slow down the Steelers rushing attack.

The Giants are coming off a game in which they gave up 269 yards rushing to the Philadelphia Eagles, 176 by former Giant Saquon Barkley.

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen knows his defense needs to be better as he discussed this during his weekly press conference on Friday afternoon.

Bowen on how to fix the run defense

“It starts with mentality. We’ve got to have a more attacking mentality. Playing on the other side of the line of scrimmage, finding ways to eliminate some space, making sure we’re playing with techniques and fundamentals and using our hands, striking, getting extension so we can get off blocks, so we can shed, so we can show back up. It’s tough. If you’ve got to be perfect, it’s hard. You’re going to have to be able to change the math at times and guys take on two blockers and steal some bodies that way to be able to make things right. Or else you’re counting on having to fit everything up perfectly every single time.

“As you guys saw on Sunday, the good (running) backs find it. They find it and they exploit you if it’s not perfect. I think it starts with mentality. We are continuing to stress our technique and fundamentals, making sure we’re getting downhill and doing the things we’ve got to do. Ultimately it takes all 11 (players) doing their job, showing up when they need to show up and then being able to get guys on the ground.”

On how certain offensive schemes can impact a defensive attack

“No doubt. Trying to mess with your eyes where you’ve got to see things, whether there’s motion, whether it’s flashing on the snap, whether a fullback inserting in a different spot. You’ve got to be able to fit those things up and know where your help is, know where you’ve got to get the ball back to. Whether I’m taking it on inside, whether I’m taking it on outside and how all that correlates together. You don’t want to have to play in a perfect world. You don’t want to have to play perfect and rely on being perfect all the time. At some point, like I told the guys on Monday, it comes down to being able to whoop the guy across from you and show up and make a play… So, the sooner we can control blockers in the run game, the better off we’re going to be and the clearer the picture is going to be on that second level, third level, whatever it might be.”

Bowen continued, saying players need to “be where they’re supposed to be.”

“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things. I do. I think to my point is more so let’s make sure that we can show up and get guys to show back up. They’ve got to do their job. They’ve got to be where they’re supposed to be to start. Then as the play develops… Some of these we’re able to get four hands off of guys, we’ve got to be able to show back up and be where we’re supposed to be.”

Does Bowen take the running game struggles personally?

“Absolutely. I think your toughness is defined by how you run the ball and how you stop the run. So, we’ve got to do a better job stopping the run. Again, there’s a lot of good clips in there. But, you give up six X play runs, three for 133 yards, it gets skewed dramatically. So, we’ve got to find ways to, more consistently, stay on the positive side of some of those runs and not let them get the big chunk runs on us.”

Consistency is critical

“I think it needs to improve throughout. Improve throughout. So, don’t misquote me on that. I’m not saying it’s all not there. Just as it shows up throughout, I think it’s got to be more consistent. The identity of stopping the run, what is it and what does it have to be from all 11 guys on every play. It’s just something to continue to build on. The understanding of the run game and how they’re attacking you. It’s going to be no different Monday night. I’ve been with (Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator) Arthur (Smith). They’re going to have a lot of really good run schemes, different things we haven’t seen from a lot of different looks, moving pieces around and we’re going to have to do a good job recognizing things and being able to react and get downhill and do all those aspects of it. But, initially, doing our best to eliminate space. I think by attacking and the mentality that goes with being attacking and the physicality of it, that’s how you initially, first and foremost, are going to be able to eliminate the space that shows up in the run game.”