Giants Offensive Tackles Up to Task of Slowing Down Jaguars' Pass Rushers

One of the biggest matchups this weekend will be the Giants' offensive tackles versus the Jaguars outside linebackers.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Oct 21, 2022 9:53 AM EDT

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One of the many subplots to this weekend's Giants-Jaguars game will be the heavy SEC flavor at a key matchup at key positions, namely edge rusher for the Jaguars and offensive tackle for the Giants.

That would be the Jaguars pass rushing duo--outside linebackers Josh Allen (Kentucky) and Trayvon Walker (Georgia)--vs. Giants offensive tackles--Andrew Thomas (Georgia) and Evan Neal (Alabama).

Allen and Walker have combined for four of the Jaguars' 10 sacks this season, seven of the team's 26 tackles for a loss, and 13 of the 37 quarterback hits.

"They’re really good," said head coach Brian Daboll. " Walker is the first pick of the (2022) draft, and Josh Allen is a dynamic edge rusher. He has a knack for getting to the quarterback, being a ball disrupter. He can drop. He’s a really good player. He’s done a good job there for a while.

"And Travon, having seen him at Georgia, he’s very stout on the edge. Long. He’s a good player. We’ll have our work cut out for us."

Fortunately, the Giants have Thomas and Neal to counter the pass rush of Walker and Allen.

Thomas, now in his third season, for what it's worth, is Pro Football Focus's eighth-best pass-blocking offensive tackle but the popular analytics site's top-ranked overall tackle.

Thomas has allowed just eight pass pressures through his first six games, twice pitching shutouts (in Weeks 4 against the Bears and five against the Packers in London). Thomas has also yet to yield a sack.

Neal, selected with the seventh overall pick this year to book-end Thomas, has allowed 15 pressures thus far, five coming in Week 3 against the Cowboys. But since that learning experience, Neal has tightened up his game, pitching a shutout of his own against the Bears and allowing just five pressures in those three games since Week 3.

Neal, who of the two, has struggled a bit more, though not nearly as bad as Thomas did as a rookie in 2020 when he allowed the second post pressures in the league (57), has been learning some new techniques in his sets which have taken some time and a lot of reps for him to get used to doing.

That's why head coach Brian Daboll is willing to be patient with the rookie if he encounters a hiccup along the road.

"You’re not always going to have your best game," he said. "You’re probably going to wish you could do things a little bit better. That’s everybody, not just Evan. Come in, see what you can improve on, work hard to improve, and get ready to play the next week."

Which is why quarterback Daniel Jones isn't worried about the potential threat of the Jaguars' pass rush.

"I think our guys are playing great up front," he said. "We've played a lot of really good players, a lot of good edge rushers, and done well. We've got a lot of confidence in our guys to handle them."