The New York Giants will open the 2020 regular season against some of the NFL’s toughest pass rushes. Â They open next Monday night at home against Pittsburgh, who led the league in sacks in 2019 with 54.
In Week Two, the Giants travel to Chicago to play the Bears and Khalil Mack. The following week, San Francisco and Nick Bosa come to town. The 49ers were fifth in the NFL in sacks last year (48) and the Giants’ Week Four opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, were fourth in sacks (50) in 2019.
This opening four game stretch will put the Giants’ rebuilt offensive line to the test. Last year, the Giants were not very successful at protecting rookie quarterback Daniel Jones, allowing the fourth-most quarterback hits (35) and seventh-most pressures (192). As a result, Jones lost eleven fumbles and was forced into throwing the football into tighter windows that he should have.
But that was with Nate Solder at left tackle and a beat up Mike Remmers on the right side. Solder was turnstile when it came to trying to stop speed rushers and Remmers was coming off back surgery. He wasn’t re-signed and Solder opted out due to coronavirus concerns.
They have been replaced by Andrew Thomas, the Giants’ top draft pick out of Georgia at left tackle and former Patriots and Cowboys swing man Cam Fleming on the right side. The guards are the same (Kevin Zeitler, Will Hernandez) and the centenaries is projected to be Nick Gates, who has played guard and tackle in his career but has yet to snap the football in a real game.
These four games will set the tone for the season. If the Giants can hold their own (no pun intended) they just might be over the hump when it comes to poor offensive line play. If not, it’s going to be another rough start and another trying season.