Giants’ Struggles Against Third and Long Continue
LAS VEGAS — The Giants’ defense often feels the pressure when facing a determined opponent’s offense. You’d think that third-and-long would play to their advantage, right? But, oddly enough, the Giants frequently stumble when they should be thriving.
Take last week’s 16-13 defeat to the Vikings as an example. Their track record for making crucial stops was, well, not great heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Raiders, who were also coming off a tough loss.
In the first quarter, the Vikings converted on third-and-long with passes from JJ McCarthy to Justin Jefferson, gaining first downs on third-and-11 and third-and-12. Then, in the second quarter, McCarthy found Jefferson again on third-and-15, which led to a fourth-down conversion after a 14-yard gain. And, if that wasn’t enough, backup quarterback Max Brosmer connected with Jefferson for 21 yards on third-and-17 in the fourth quarter. Talk about frustrating for the Giants.
Targeting Jefferson has proven effective, especially since the Giants lost Malik Nabors to a torn ACL in Week 4. Still, defensive breakdowns have been a recurring issue this season. The Giants currently rank 21st in the league on third down, allowing a 41-percent conversion rate. And it gets even worse on fourth downs—they’re converting just 73.3 percent of the time, sitting tied for 30th in the league with the Jets.
“I think third and long is definitely a time where you want to get off the field,” cornerback Paulson Adebo reflected on last week’s struggles. “We made some good calls and felt like we were in a good position. At the end of the day, though, it comes down to making a few key plays—whether it’s tackling or execution—to prevent them from converting.”
On a different note, the Raiders went against traditional wisdom when they picked Ashton Zity with the sixth pick in the 2025 draft. In his rookie year, he amassed 828 yards but averaged only 3.7 yards per attempt. That being said, he’s also made history—becoming the third rookie in NFL history to tally at least 50 receptions, five rushing touchdowns, and five receiving touchdowns, joining the ranks of Alvin Kamara and Hall of Famer Charlie Taylor.
Describing Zity, interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen said, “He’s unbelievably tough to tackle. It’s remarkable how he breaks tackles. We’ve emphasized all week the importance of all 11 of us getting to the ball.”
Interestingly, this game will mark a unique moment in NFL history. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it will be the first instance where two teams with the same nine-game losing streak face off in a single season.
