Five facts about the Giants' historically awful defense

The Giants defense, shown dominating against a ball on a stick this preseason.
Bill Kostroun/AP

Yesterday in New Orleans, the New York Giants' feeble defense gave up 52 points and an absurd 614 yards of offense to the Saints. They are on pace to be one of the worst defenses in NFL history. Here are five facts about the 2015 Giants defense:

1) Over their last three games, the Giants have allowed 1,502 yards. Hang on... Let me get my calculator. Yes, that's bad.

2) On the season, the Giants are allowing 428.3 yards per game. They are on pace to allow 6,852 yards, which would be the second-worst total in NFL history. The worst was the 2012 Saints, who allowed 7,042 yards. Both defenses are/were led by Steve Spagnuolo.

Year Team Yards allowed 
2012New Orleans Saints 7042 
 2015 (proj)New York Giants 6892 
 1981Baltimore Colts 6793 


3) The Giants are dead last in the NFL with nine sacks, which puts them on pace for 18 on the season. Excluding strike-shortened seasons, that would tie them for the seventh-lowest sack total in a season since the NFL starting tracking sacks in 1982:

Year Team Sack futility 
 2008Kansas City Chiefs 10 
 2009Jacksonville Jaguars 14 
 1991Los Angeles Rams 17 
 1995Jacksonville Jaguars 17 
 2008Cincinnati Bengals 17 
 2008Cleveland Browns 17 
 2015 (proj)New York Giants 18 
 2003Chicago Bears 18 


4) The Giants have allowed 196 first downs on the season, or 24.5 per game. That is the worst in the NFL. They are on pace to allow 392 first downs on the season, which would be second worst in NFL history.

 YearTeam First downs allowed 
 1981Baltimore Colts 406 
 2015 (proj)New York Giants 392 
 1981 Seattle Seahawks371 
 1999 Cleveland Browns368 


5) Opposing offenses are converting third downs on the Giants at a 47.7% clip. That is second worst in the NFL, behind the Ravens. Since the NFL started tracking 3rd down conversion stats in 1991, that would be the eighth worst third down conversion stop percentage in the NFL:

Year Team 3rd down conversions (defense) 
1995Cleveland Browns 50.0 
 2010San Diego Chargers 49.2 
 1991Indianapolis Colts 49.2 
 1991Miami Dolphins 49.0 
 1994Detroit Lions 48.4 
 1996Baltimore Ravens 48.2 
 2015 (proj)Baltimore Ravens 47.8 
 2015 (proj)New York Giants 47.7 


And this is the team that is leading the NFC East.


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