Next Gen Stats ranks Fabian Moreau among top 10 shutdown cornerbacks

The Giants' 5-1 start has been due in part to contributions from some unlikely sources. One of those is veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau.

Moreau was originally signed to the Giants' practice squad back in early September. After spending one week on the practice squad, Moreau has since played every game for the Giants, including being on the field for 100 percent of the team's defensive snaps in last week's win over Baltimore.

Next Gen Stats released its rankings of the NFL's top 10 shutdown cornerbacks this season, where the veteran came in at No. 6.

"Moreau began the season on the practice squad for the Giants, but his rapid ascent from scout team star to regular-season star has played a major role in the Giants' surprising 5-1 start," the article states. "Moreau has allowed just 35.3 percent of his targets to be completed this season, trailing only the aforementioned (Indianapolis Colts CB Rock) Ya-Sin (min. 15 targets). As a result, Moreau has allowed a mere 2.7 receiving yards per target as the nearest defender, which leads all NFL players with at least 15 targets. Moreau's veteran presence has meshed well with a secondary full of young talent that includes Julian Love and Xavier McKinney, which is a major component of the league's seventh-ranked scoring defense that's firing on all cylinders in Brian Daboll's debut season as head coach."

Moreau has played five games with two starts this season. He is tied with safety Dane Belton for the seventh-most tackles on the team with 18, while his three passes defensed is tied for the second-most.

According to Pro Football Focus, Moreau has earned a solid 72.9 overall grade this season, which includes a 72.8 coverage grade.

Stout Giants defense always looking to improve

He wouldn't do it every week, but Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale entered the game last Sunday against Baltimore perfectly willing to concede rushing yardage to the Ravens.

"Last week was different, because we were going to give them some runs and try to contain (Ravens quarterback) Lamar (Jackson) as much as we could," Martindale said yesterday. "All I kept saying was, 'If they get some runs, it's just like Aaron Rodgers completing the deep pass. Just find a place to stand, and play great in the red zone,' which we did because they weren't as effective in the red zone (one touchdown in three trips). Last week was a unique run game."

The Giants rallied for an exciting and dramatic 24-20 victory. But the Giants' defensive players were quick to find flaws in their performance because Baltimore rushed for 211 yards, 35 more than any other opponent this season. Even with Martindale's plan to allow for some yardage, that figure perturbed those tasked with stopping the Ravens' rush.

"Absolutely," linebacker Jaylon Smith said. "Especially with the type of guys we have in this locker room, this defense, our tenacity, the physicality we play with. Anytime you give up 200 yards rushing, whether you're playing a quarterback who runs well, it doesn't matter. It comes down to execution. It comes down to block destruction. It comes down to beating the guy next to you and making the play, making the tackle. So that's something that Wink has discussed as we've worked this week; it's a fundamentals thing, for sure."

Click here to read more about the Giants defense

Jimmy Fallon joins 'The Eli Manning Show'

On this week's episode of "The Eli Manning Show" presented by Panini Prizm, Eli travels to 30 Rock for a guest appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. But before he walks on stage, Eli turns the tables and has Jimmy as his guest in his own impromptu studio. They talk about Jimmy's life growing up in NY, movies, and his new book before squaring off in a high-stakes game of cornhole.

Check out the latest episode of "The Eli Manning Show" below.