This week, the Giants finally saw progress along the offensive line

Full disclosure: This was intended to be a written piece about the defense, about Saquon Barkley’s return, about the rookie receiver finally getting a chance.  

Barkley ran well in his return from the ankle sprain, and he’ll likely feel even better this week.

The defense seems to be improving as inside linebacker Bobby Okereke, the player Wink Martindale wanted and got in free agency, becomes more comfortable as he continues to make plays.

And Jalin Hyatt has speed to burn, and it seems as if the Giants are going to let the rookie show it in the near future.

What took so long?

But this day is, and should be, devoted to the Giants' offensive line.

So it will be.

It’s a group that has been maligned time and again over the years.

It’s a group that remains, since the season opener, without its best player, Andrew Thomas, who injured his hamstring early against Dallas, stayed in the game until the fourth quarter, suffered a setback in his recovery and hasn’t played since.

When will he be seen again? No one knows.

And on Sunday night, in Orchard Park, the guys on the line played well enough to give the rest of their teammates a chance.

Heck, considering it was against the Bills, they played even better than that.

So, here’s to the offensive line. A line that gave up three sacks of Tyrod Taylor, which marks considerable progress.

In the previous two games, the Giants absorbed a total of 18 sacks by the Seahawks and Dolphins.

Does the quarterback, Taylor, make a difference in that respect? Possibly. The Bills were also playing their first full game since all-everything linebacker Matt Milano injured his leg and put his year in jeopardy.

Regardless, the line played well. How many times can the Giants say that this season?

Raise your hand if you voted for “once.”

“Very, very proud of the guys,” said center Ben Bredeson, who is usually a starting guard but is filling in for injured rookie center John Michael Schmitz. “I think we showed a lot of teamwork and versatility and, you know, playing together as a unit and battling all night.”

They did. We know because we watched as Taylor generally had time, or found it, and the line operated as a unit.

The under-construction group seemed to feel pretty good about themselves. Perhaps they will continue to improve, in whatever version is on the field.

Enter Justin Pugh.

Drafted by the Giants with their first-round pick in 2013, Pugh later departed in free agency to sign with the Cardinals.

Pugh signed with the Giants practice squad two weeks ago, bringing depth to the offensive line.

On Sunday night, as you’ve probably heard, the 33-year old Pugh introduced himself to the NBC audience not with his college affiliation (Syracuse), but with his current situation. Justin Pugh, “straight off the couch.”

It was hilarious.

Pugh just might make a difference for these Giants. Strike that. He already has.

Yes, the Giants lost to the Bills, but the offensive line looked cohesive and confident.

While Pugh started at left guard, he moved to left tackle when Joshua Ezeudu injured his toe and left the game in the first quarter.

When asked after he returned to the Giants how much he weighed, Pugh said 262 pounds.

He was probably the lightest tackle to play in the league this week.

That is remarkable.

He’s undersized.

But his heart isn’t.

Pugh’s success in his crash-course with the Giants was made possible partly because he had been spending extra time with offensive line coach Bobby Johnson. Pugh indicated he had no trouble learning multiple positions. And, for what it’s worth, Pugh has worn a permanent smile in the Giants' locker room since his return.

Said coach Brian Daboll of Pugh: “He’s a true pro.”

He might be even more than that.

Playing in his first game since Week 6 of last season, Pugh had 38 pass-blocking snaps at left tackle, a position he hadn’t played since 2017. He allowed just three pressures, according to Next Gen Stats.

Maybe Pugh, along with Bredeson, can lift the entire offensive line.

Straight off the couch, or not.

By Kimberly Jones

kimberly.jones@newsday.comkimjonessports

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.