The New York Giants might’ve been outmatched against the Dallas Cowboys, but star left tackle Andrew Thomas held his own against a dominant opposing pass rush.
The Giants gave up an egregious five sacks and 27 pressures against the Cowboys in Week 3, despite a resilient effort from Daniel Jones that saw him running for his life the entire game.
Jones finished with 196 yards through the air and 79 yards on the ground across nine carries. If not for his legs, the Giants’ offense would’ve stalled routinely, but things aren’t about to get any better with Sterling Shepard suffering a season-ending ACL injury.
Finding silver linings on the Giants’ offense is difficult, but Thomas is undoubtedly a big one. Last season across 800 offensive snaps, Thomas allowed just two sacks and 18 total pressures, a significant increase in efficiency compared to his rookie season back in 2020, when he gave up 10 sacks and 57 pressures.
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The New York Giants have an elite player in Andrew Thomas:
To start the 2022 season, Thomas is currently the highest-rated offensive lineman, according to PFF. Over 206 offensive snaps, including 131 pass blocking, Thomas has given up six total pressures, still nursing a terrible left guard situation.
In Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans, he gave up one quarterback hurry, good for an 82.3 pass blocking grade. Against Carolina, he gave up two hurries and one quarterback hit, good for a 79 grade. Against Dallas, he allowed three hurries for a 77.3 grade.
Overall, he has cemented himself as one of the best offensive tackles in football and a bookend on the left side for the Giants.
If general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll elect to move on from Daniel Jones after this season, the team will have a stellar left tackle to protect the blind side. Having a solid OL is always a necessity for successful offensive production.
Luckily, the Giants have Thomas under contract for the next two seasons, at least. It is possible they extend Thomas beyond that, but they have his fifth-year option as well for the 2024 campaign, which could end up being the second year with a new quarterback under center.
Nonetheless, Thomas has finally provided a solution after years of inefficient play at left tackle.