Giants walking delicate line with pass-rushing trio’s playing time

Eight is not enough.

Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen agrees with the general sentiment shared by fans who were perplexed that edge rushers Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and rookie Abdul Carter were on the field together for just eight of a possible 70 defensive snaps in Week 1.

“Any time we can get those three on the field, I think it’s beneficial for us in certain situations, right?” Bowen said. “It could be not very beneficial in other situations, just depending on how teams are attacking us at the time.”

In other words, playing all three pass rushers will be easier when the Giants are leading and opponents are forced to drop back.

Or when offenses are huddling — the Commanders did not — and third-down substitutions are easier to make.

Thibodeaux (74 percent), Burns (67 percent) and Carter (54 percent) all played less than they are accustomed to, though there is a fine line between keeping fresh legs and underutilizing weapons.

The Giants will walk it again Sunday against the Cowboys.

“I think the tempo kind of handcuffs you a little bit with how much control we potentially have over that at times,” Bowen said. “But each week it’s something we’re going to look at — just ways situationally that fit [how] we’re able to hopefully utilize those three guys — whether it’s together, separately. Continue to evolve as we go. It might be totally different this week just in terms of [snap] count and where it stands.”

One adjustment under consideration is having Carter take some vacated snaps at inside linebacker, where he played for two seasons at Penn State before developing into the No. 3 pick in the draft as a ferocious edge rusher.

The Giants are without injured starter Micah McFadden.

“Abdul’s got the history of playing off the ball, so that’s something we’ve got to consider,” Bowen said. “Another way to potentially get all three of those guys on the field. I think all those guys have versatility to do some different things for us.”

Bowen credited Carter for making a “unique play” when he waved his arms at Jayden Daniels to force a throwaway at the end of the first half that wound up drawing a flag for intentional grounding and cost the Commanders a shot at a chip-shot field goal.

“In critical situations,” Bowen said, “we want our best players on the field.”

Bowen does not expect Carter’s special teams workload — he blocked a punt on five snaps — to limit his defensive availability.

“I think his superpower, obviously, is his ability to go and get the ball,” special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said. “Whether that be a quarterback or whether that be the punter punting. His versatility, to me, is very valuable on that unit because he has to be able to do everything that we’re asking the other guys to do.”