Bobby Okereke named to PFF Team of the Week
The Giants' defense put together its best performance of the season against the Bills on Sunday night, holding one of the NFL's top offenses to just 14 points and 297 total yards while forcing two turnovers.
At the center of the defense's Week 6 success was inside linebacker Bobby Okereke.
Okereke has been named to the Pro Football Focus Team of the Week for his dominant outing against the Bills on Sunday Night Football.
"Okereke stood out in run defense and coverage this week, finishing the game with a pair of tackles for loss or no gain against the run," wrote PFF's Gordon McGuinness. "In coverage, he allowed just two receptions for 11 yards and forced two incompletions, one of which resulted in an interception. He also forced a fumble after the catch on a play on his way to an elite 93.2 coverage grade."
The 27-year-old linebacker finished with a game-high, along with a personal season-high, 11 tackles (eight solo) to go with his two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and forced fumble. Okereke played a crucial role in both of the team's turnovers. First, he punched the ball out of wide receiver Gabe Davis' hands, which fellow linebacker Micah McFadden recovered. Then in the second half, he tipped a Josh Allen pass up in the air, which landed right in the hands of McFadden for the team's second turnover.
Okereke was on the field for 100 percent of the team's defensive snaps and added five defensive stops and one pressure (on just four blitzes), according to Next Gen Stats.
"Bobby O has done a great job of getting the ball and getting hands on the ball," head coach Brian Daboll told the media Monday. "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."
The veteran linebacker has now registered 31 total tackles, five passes defensed, a forced fumble and an interception over the last three games. His five pass breakups on the season are tied with the Jets' Quincy Williams for the most among all linebackers.
Okereke has already matched his passes defensed total from the entire 2022 campaign (in which he played all 17 games), and is just one shy of his previous career-high (six in 2020).
View photos from the Giants' Week 6 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor, center, hands off to running back Saquon Barkley (26) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes)
New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor throws a pass against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) hauls in a pass against Buffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam (24) during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley tries to break free on a rush against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (43) and safety Jordan Poyer (take down New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, center, during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
New York Giants safety Jason Pinnock stretches to take down Buffalo Bills running back James Cook during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes)
New York Giants kicker Graham Gano (9) is congratulated after kicking a field goal against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
New York Giants kicker Graham Gano (9) kicks a field goal against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) rushes during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller (12) runs after a catch during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) defends during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke (58) celebrates after a tackle during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2) scrambles in front of Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau (50) and linebacker Dorian Williams (42) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2) scrambles during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2) throws a pass during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
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