Giants’ OL stays healthy, against all 2020 odds
Daniel Jones had played every snap this season prior to Sunday’s right hamstring injury. Now the list of ironmen Giants is down to one: Center Nick Gates. Gates, 25, is the only Giant to have played every eligible snap on his side of the ball, 732 on offense through 11 games.
The next closest to 100% participation on the team is top corner James Bradberry, who has played 721 of a possible 723 snaps on defense (99.7%).
Durability this season is an especially impressive feat, given the absence of organized offseason workouts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, not to mention the virus itself.
But Joe Judge’s strength and conditioning staff, led by director Craig Fitzgerald, has the Giants’ offensive line in particular as the healthiest in the NFC East by far.
Four of the Giants’ five starters on the O-line have played at least 92% of the snaps this season. That’s reflected in their playing time leaders on offense: Gates (100%), right guard Kevin Zeitler (98%), Jones (96%), left tackle Andrew Thomas (95%) and right tackle Cam Fleming (92%).
By comparison, the Cowboys, Eagles and Washington have only one O-lineman apiece who has logged more than 90% of their offensive snaps this season, per Pro Football Reference: Cowboys left guard Connor Williams (99.8%), Eagles center Jason Kelce (99.57%), and Washington tackle Morgan Moses (98.65%).
The Cowboys are down four of five starters. The Eagles have been ravaged by injuries, with starters going in and out. Washington has been healthier than the Boys and Birds but can’t compare to the Giants.
The Giants of course had to place Week 1 starting left guard Will Hernandez on the COVID-19 reserve list in Weeks 8 and 9 following his positive test. He has been replaced by rookie Shane Lemieux, who started at left guard again Sunday while Hernandez played only two series.
Judge’s bye week firing of offensive line coach Marc Colombo also created an element of unknown in Sunday’s first game under new position coach Dave DeGuglielmo. And there was some up and down but encouraging pass protection, at least.
The Bengals did not record a sack and were credited with only three quarterback hits. The Giants rushed 42 times for 142 yards (3.4 yards per carry) and committed four penalties, including three by Fleming (two holdings and a false start) and one by Zeitler.
BRADBERRY BACK FOR GOOD?
Judge said top corner James Bradberry was getting a game ball for the personal and professional sacrifices he made last week. Bradberry practiced only one day with the team as he tended to a family situation, but still played all 49 snaps in a smothering defensive effort in Cincinnati.
“He’s getting a game ball for the way he had to handle last week and really made a lot of sacrifices and was able to combine some personal adversity and some sacrifice to make sure he was still there for the team,” Judge said. “I’m really proud of the way he handled that.”
The Giants’ coach could not say definitively that Bradberry’s situation was behind him, though, either.
QUITE AN ANALOGY
Judge expects special-teams captain Nate Ebner (knee) to “rebound pretty fast” and “do whatever he can to be back this Sunday.”
“One thing being around Nate for a long time, he’s like the girl who’s got eight kids and can tell ya she’s pregnant before she’s taking the test. He kinda knows what’s going on with his body,” Judge said. “And walking off at halftime he was able to relay to me what the injury was similar to and what he was thinking about it. Sure enough that’s exactly what was confirmed by the doctors today.”
The status of edge Kyler Fackrell (calf) is uncertain. The Giants will evaluate him later this week.
CAREFUL WITH COVID
Judge said the Giants are hoping to get tight end Kaden Smith, offensive tackle Matt Peart and wideout Dante Pettis off the COVID-19 reserve list this week. But there is no guarantee they’ll be able to play or be major factors, either. It’s wait and see.