Sack-leading Eagles a challenge to Giants' pass protection
Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) blocks against Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, on Sunday, Dec 11, 2022. Credit: Brad Penner
There is a clear area in which the Giants will have to be at their best Saturday night: pass protection. The Eagles lead the league in sacks this season with 70, and it’s not close. Kansas City is next with 55.
Haason Redick has 16 sacks, trailing only Nick Bosa’s 18.5 for the 49ers. Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave and Josh Sweat have 11 apiece. The seemingly ageless Fletcher Cox has seven.
Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas is having a great season. Rookie Evan Neal almost certainly will get some help.
Coach Brian Daboll said Thomas is “obviously” one of the Giants’ best players.
“Smart, tough, dependable,” he said. “Very good leader for us, and he’s had a lot of tough matchups. Again, the team we’re about to play with all their sacks, their production and the players they have up front, it’s a challenge. It was a challenge the first time we played them, it was a challenge the second time we played them, and that’s certainly something we’re going to have to do a good job with.”
McKinney: Got job done
Xavier McKinney always seems to make his presence known on the football field. His take on the Giants’ win over the Vikings: “It was a hard-fought game. It was a long game, not perfect, but we got the job done.” The key? “We practiced a little harder, watched film a little harder. It’s the playoffs.”
No interviews this week
Daboll said neither offensive coordinator Mike Kafka nor Wink Martindale will be interviewing for head-coaching jobs this week. Kafka has been requested by the Panthers, Texans and Colts. Martindale has been requested by the Colts.
None ruled out Saturday
Asked for updates on safety Jason Pinnock and outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari, Daboll mostly deferred: “We’ll go day to day with all those guys.” Asked if anyone could be ruled out of Saturday’s game now, he said, “Nope.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
