What we’ve learned from defense
*The main storyline throughout the week is defensive coordinator Wink Martindale facing off against his former team for the first time. Martindale spent the first 10 seasons on the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching staff, the last four as defensive coordinator. During his time in Baltimore, Martindale won Super Bowl 47 and consistently had one of the best defenses in the NFL.
* The Ravens did not score in the first quarter for the first time this season. After averaging 16.4 points in the first two quarters of the season, they also scored just 10 points in the first half. Although the Ravens outscored the Giants 256-90 for combined yards in the first two quarters and dominated the clock at 17:26.
*Julian Love played one of his best games in a Giants uniform. After saving two touchdowns earlier in the game, the all-around safety intercepted Lamar Jackson late in the fourth quarter of a 3-pointer and sent it back to the Ravens’ No. 13 for 27 yards . The Giants were the last defense to go into Week 6 without an interception.
* Kayvon Thibodeaux delivered the winning shot on the next drive, stripping Jackson deep in Ravens territory. Leonard Williams returned to turnover after missing three weeks with a knee injury.
*Outside linebacker Jihad Ward, who also played against his old team, had a two-yarder with running back JK Dobbins in Game 2. It was the first of two tackles he made behind the line of scrimmage.
*Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence continued his fiery streak, recording his fourth sack in the past three games. The fourth-year pro has just nine combined in his first three seasons. His four sacks this season are already a career high he set in 2020.
*Love said this week that Baltimore’s Mark Andrews is “one of the best tight ends in the league” and is “not as flashy and really fleshed out.” Love and Giants saw it up close on Sunday At this point, Andrews advanced for 106 yards on seven passes, including a 12-yard touchdown, to give the Ravens a 20-10 lead with 12:54 left.
* The Giants removed defensive lineman Ryder Anderson from the practice class on Saturday. The 6-foot-6, 276-pound player is an undrafted rookie who has yet to appear in the game. Originally signed by the Giants in May, Anderson played four seasons at Ole Miss before finishing his college career in 2021 in Indiana. In 50 career games, he totaled 147 tackles (66 solos), 10.5 sacks, two forced turnovers and one fumble recovery. In 2021, Anderson was nominated for an All-Big Ten (Coach) Honor Award and received the Indians’ Chris Dal Sasso Award as the team’s most outstanding forward. His uncle Mark was a veteran NFL defensive player after playing at the University of Alabama (2002-05).
* Outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari missed his second straight game with a calf injury. The second-year pro also missed the first two weeks due to injury.