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    New York Giants Have a Tackling Problem

    How Giants Defense is "Tackling" Its Most Glaring Issue

    Inside linebacker Bobby Okereke revealed what the defense did in Thursday's practice during individual drills to help sharpen their tackling issue.

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    New York Giants
    New York Giants

    Regardless of what members of the New York Giants think about Pro Football Focus metrics, one thing they cannot deny is that their tackling has been well below the standards they expect of themselves.

    "I think we can do a much better job tackling," defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. "I think we can do a better job in a lot of areas on defense, but overall, I think that we are on that right track."

    Whether they are indeed on the right track remains to be seen come game time, but for a team that in three games so far has recorded 29 missed tackles (9.6 misses per game), they darn well better be doing something about it.

    The good news is that the Giants are doing something about it, according to inside linebacker Bobby Okereke, who is third on the Giants defense in missed tackles with four.

    "We put an emphasis on it today at practice," Okereke said at his locker following Thursday's practice. "We had a tackling circuit today."

    Okereke explained that the tackling circuit that was set up consisted of different stations in which the players "worked on different tackling scenarios and opportunities on the field."

    "I had a coach always tell me that tackling is all about technique and desire. We all have a great desire to tackle; now it’s just cleaning up the technique. We’ll get it right," he said.

    Okereke was asked if the Giants defense has been pressing too much to force turnovers.

    "There could be a little bit of that," he admitted, confirming a difference in the technique taught between tackling and going for the strip. "I think the biggest thing for us is don’t press. Turnovers will come, so we’ve got to play good, fundamentally sound defense, and the rest will take care of itself."

    It better, especially with Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, who is tied for fifth among running backs league-wide in forced missed takes with 14, coming to town and who figures to put the Giants defense to the test, especially if he gets into space.

    "If you want to win games and go far in the season, postseason, you’ve got to tackle. And that’s the name of the game right now in the league. Getting athletes in space and making guys miss. So that’s going to be a big emphasis for us, and we know it’s going to be a big part of our success," Okereke said.

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