There is no time like the present for Giants’ rush defense to finally level up

The Giants collected the horses to dominate games with their pass rush.

But there’s one potential pitfall that could make the whole plan seem as pretend as spotting a pack of unicorns.

For two years, the Giants have searched for solutions to improve their rushing defense because no smart opponent is going to leave its quarterback as a sitting duck to be hunted by Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and now Abdul Carter if presented with the alternative of running for 4.7 yards per carry.

“They want to talk about our D-line and all this,” Lawrence said, “but we haven’t done anything yet.”

But what about the tantalizing possibilities of facing no double-teams and registering easy sacks?

“If we can get teams to pass the ball,” Lawrence said. “So, we have to win on the first and second down first, and that’s the most important thing. We can’t get to third without winning first and second, and that’s the challenge.”

Before he hired Shane Bowen as defensive coordinator in February 2024, head coach Brian Daboll directly asked if he could fix the Giants rushing defense to look more like the successful numbers the Titans had under Bowen’s watch.

That didn’t happen last season, when the out-talented Giants were gashed for 19 runs of 20 yards or more (second-most in the NFL), including five of 40 yards or more (tied for most in the NFL).

So, Bowen was retained and given better personnel in the form of veteran free agents Roy Robertson-Harris and Jeremiah Ledbetter, as well as third-round draft pick Darius Alexander on the interior. Plus free agent Chauncey Golston and first-round pick Abdul Carter on the edge.

“That’s still the No. 1 focus,” linebacker Bobby Okereke said. “We’re harping on that we have to earn the right to rush the passer by dominating the run on first and second down.”

Will the changes — and the depth to have fresher fourth-quarter legs — add up to creating more third-and-longs? Opponents averaged 4.2 yards per rush on second down and more than one-quarter of their third downs were with 1 or 2 yards to gain to the marker.

“That’s where it starts,” linebacker Micah McFadden said. “If you can’t stop the run, you can’t stop anything.”

The Giants will be in shell pads when training camp resumes Sunday and full pads — when the run game and linemen on both sides truly can be evaluated — come Monday. But already, the newcomers, especially Carter, are showing they can make a difference.

“There was a play [Thursday] where he took on the puller and the second [blocker],” McFadden said. “We talked about it in our meeting: A lot of times in the run scheme, you’ve got to make up the math because [the offense] might have more numbers than we have. When you have a player that can do that, it helps everybody out.”

A case could be made that improvement stopping the run is the clearest path to the Giants being a better team. It’s no lower than Path No. 1B — sharing top billing with getting better play at quarterback.

As Daboll sees it, the two factors go hand-in-hand.

“We weren’t where we needed it to be [last season], but the run defense is a collective team thing,” Daboll said. “When you get behind in games quite a bit and they keep handing the ball off, handing the ball off … it’s not just a defensive stat.

“If we’re not scoring enough points or playing good enough team football, that affects the other side. There were a lot of good plays, but there were too many explosive plays down the field. Whether that’s a run fit, getting off a block, making a tackle, we have to play better team football to help our team run defense.”

The Giants open the season against the Commanders, who ranked No. 4 in rushing offense last season. No time to waste.

“I will say we’re glad about all the additions,” McFadden said, “but I think, first and foremost, [run defense] comes down to communication and guys talking in the backfield behind us and letting us know the rotation and where is everybody’s gap. And then playing aggressive and playing true up front.”