Wink not worried about slumping Kayvon
One game can be considered an exception. Two weeks, and it can be a small rut.
But three weeks, it starts to become a worrying trend.
That’s where Kayvon Thibodeaux finds himself entering the Giants’ Week 17 clash against the Rams on Sunday.
Thibodeaux, who has broken out as one of the league’s top passrushers in his second season after the Giants drafted him with the No. 5 overall pick last year, isn’t exactly finishing the year strong. He barely registered a stat during the team’s Christmas Day loss to the Eagles, with no tackles, no sacks and one quarterback hit. One week prior, Thibodeaux had just one tackle, no sacks and no quarterback hits in the team’s loss to the Saints.
“Kayvon is playing a lot of plays and Kayvon is, like I always tell you guys, he’s gonna be fine,” defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said Thursday. “A lot of the plays didn’t come to him [against the Eagles]. We ask him to do a lot of different things and, like I said before, there’s no ceiling with Kayvon. He plays the run just as effective as he rushes the passer and [Monday’s loss was] an anomaly right there. It was a physical game, and he played a lot of plays.”
Thibodeaux’s 11.5 sacks are tied for 12th most in the league. But he owns a 59.1 overall grade by Pro Football Focus, which puts him at No. 88 among edge rushers.
Much of Thibodeaux’s production has come in small bunches, often against NFL bottom-feeders. He recorded three sacks during the team’s loss to the Jets, who have surrendered the second-most sacks in the league. Thibodeaux combined for 3.5 sacks in the two wins over the Commanders, who have given up the third-most sacks in the league. Two more came against the Seahawks, and although they’re not a bottom-feeder, it was during a blowout loss.
Against the league’s best, Thibodeaux often goes missing.
In seven games this year against the Cowboys, 49ers, Bills, Dolphins, Saints and Eagles, Thibodeaux recorded just two sacks, 11 tackles and three quarterback hits.
➤ Saquon Barkley, who is set to be a free agent again, can’t help but think about it.
“Knowing that the future is kind of unknown, it definitely crosses your mind,” Barkley said. “But I just try to take in every moment and just enjoy my time and go out there and compete with my teammates. That’s kind of the mindset that I’ve been having. Obviously, the future is uncertain. My contract situation last year was a hot topic, but I feel like whenever that happens, I’ll worry about that then.”
➤ Deonte Banks (shoulder) and Dexter Lawrence (hamstring) were limited participants in practice after missing Wednesday’s walk-through.
Brian Daboll is “hopeful” punter Jamie Gillian (groin, knee), who was also limited Thursday and clearly seemed bothered by those injuries during Monday’s loss, will play Sunday.