The New York Giants' defense showcased their best performance of the season against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. They stifled one of the NFL's top offenses, only allowing 14 points and 297 total yards while forcing two turnovers. At the heart of this exceptional display was inside linebacker Bobby Okereke.
Okereke's outstanding performance on Sunday Night Football earned him a well-deserved spot on the Pro Football Focus Team of the Week. According to PFF's Gordon McGuinness, Okereke excelled in both run defense and coverage. He recorded a remarkable two tackles for loss or no gain against the run. Additionally, he allowed only two receptions for 11 yards and forced two incompletions, one of which resulted in an interception. Okereke's performance earned him an exceptional coverage grade of 93.2.
The 27-year-old linebacker had a game-high 11 tackles, eight of which were solo tackles. This marked his personal season-high. He also contributed two tackles for loss, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble. Okereke played a pivotal role in both of the team's turnovers. First, he stripped the ball from wide receiver Gabe Davis, which was recovered by his teammate Micah McFadden. Then, in the second half, Okereke deflected a Josh Allen pass, leading to an interception by McFadden.
Impressively, Okereke was on the field for every single defensive snap, showcasing his endurance and importance to the team. Next Gen Stats revealed that he contributed five defensive stops and one pressure on just four blitzes. His ability to create turnovers and disrupt the opposing offense has been invaluable to the Giants.
Head coach Brian Daboll praised Okereke's play, stating, "Bobby O has done a great job of getting the ball and getting hands on the ball. A bunch of those turnovers are a result of his play along with the rush that goes along with it but seeing the quarterback, getting hands on the ball."
In the last three games, Okereke has amassed an impressive 31 total tackles, five passes defensed, a forced fumble, and an interception. His five pass breakups this season are tied for the most among all linebackers, alongside the Jets' Quincy Williams. Notably, Okereke has already matched his passes defensed tally from the entire 2022 campaign, in which he played all 17 games. He is just one pass breakup away from surpassing his previous career-high of six, achieved in 2020.
