Kayvon Thibodeaux Posts 81.3 PFF Grade for Giants vs Saints

Kayvon Thibodeaux turned in one of his better performances of the season for the Giants on Sunday. According to PFF, the edge rusher posted an 81.3 grade against the New Orleans Saints, a strong mark for any defender in a single game.

Thibodeaux was productive in more than one area. He finished with 3 pressures and 3 run stops, per PFF, which shows he made an impact both when the Saints dropped back to throw and when they tried to run the football. The numbers were first shared by Big Blue Film Room on X.

The performance came in a game the Giants lost to the Saints, 34-27. For the full picture of how the afternoon played out, read our recap of the Giants vs. Saints game.

What Kayvon Thibodeaux's PFF Numbers Show

Pro Football Focus, better known as PFF, charts every player on every snap and assigns grades based on how well each one did his job on each play. Grades of 80 and above are generally seen as very good, so an 81.3 tells us PFF viewed Thibodeaux's day against New Orleans as a quality outing.

A pressure counts any play where a pass rusher gets to the quarterback or forces him to react, including sacks, quarterback hits and hurries. A run stop, in PFF's charting, is a tackle on a running play that counts as a failure for the offense. Having 3 of each shows Thibodeaux was a factor on both kinds of downs, not just a pass-rush specialist waiting for obvious throwing situations.

He was not the only Giants defender who graded well, either. Read more in DJ Reader Leads Giants Defense in PFF Grades vs Saints.

John Harbaugh Praises Thibodeaux's Play

The strong grade backs up what the Giants coaching staff has been saying. This past week, John Harbaugh told the media that Thibodeaux has been playing "very well," citing quality tape. When a head coach points to the film, he is usually talking about the details that do not always show up in the box score, like winning at the line, setting the edge against the run and collapsing the pocket.

That kind of public praise matters for a player at his position. Edge rushers are often judged by sack totals alone, but coaches grade every snap. Harbaugh's comments suggest the staff likes what it is seeing from Thibodeaux even when the sacks have not followed yet. The Giants defense was also busy bringing pressure from other spots against New Orleans, as outlined in our preview of the Giants blitz plan vs the Saints.

Still Searching for His First Sack of 2026

For all the positive signs, one number is still missing. The former 5th overall pick is still looking for his first sack of 2026. Sacks are the most visible stat for any pass rusher, and fans and analysts tend to notice when a player at his position goes several games without one.

Pressures, though, are often seen as a sign that sacks can follow. A rusher who keeps beating blockers and forcing quarterbacks off their spot is creating the chances that eventually turn into takedowns. If Thibodeaux keeps playing at the level PFF graded on Sunday, the Giants will hope that first sack of the season is not far away as they turn their attention to the Houston Texans.

Want more Giants coverage? Catch up on all of our latest articles here on the site, and follow @BigBlueFilmRoom on X for every Giants update as it breaks.

About Big Blue Film Room: Big Blue Film Room is an independent New York Giants news site delivering daily news, injury updates and game recaps. We credit and link to the original reporting behind every story, and we correct errors promptly under our Editorial Standards. Learn more about who we are and how we report on our About page.