The Giants' offensive line is a source of optimism that all is not lost this season.
Please read that sentence again.
Let's think about what it says.
Think back to the last time that was true.
Offensive line disasters and failed seasons have long been synonymous with the Giants, making it nearly impossible to accept that Bullock wasn't the cause of their ninth 0-2 start in the past 12 seasons.
But there are bigger sinners on the field and on the sidelines than the group that allowed Devin Singletary to run for 95 yards on 16 carries and barely allowed quarterback Daniel Jones to touch the ground last week against the Commanders.
“It doesn't get any better than that. It's all you can ask for as a back,” Singletary said of his vast running lanes. “You have those big guys moving, you have the receivers and the tight ends. All I had to do was run. Literally all I had to do was run.”
The Giants rank sixth in the NFL as a pass-blocking team, according to Pro Football Focus, a year after allowing the second-most sacks in NFL history (85).
Rhyne allowed seven quarterback hits and two quarterback sacks in 85 total pass-blocking snaps.
“We will continue to [from Week 1] “We've got to play to our strengths more,” said guard John Runyan Jr. “We had a lot of direct runs, which allowed us to set up play-action plays, which this team is really good at. We pride ourselves on being a really physical run team, but we can also drop back and pass. That's our strength as an offensive line, and I think this offensive line is going to continue to carry us.”
That will add to the matchup Sunday against the Browns' Myles Garrett, who is trying to become the first NFL player with 14 or more sacks in four consecutive seasons since 1982, when sacks became an official statistic.
Both of his strip sacks in the first two games came from the quarterback's blind side, but Garrett can line up on either end of the defense or over the guard in speed rush situations.
Those hoping Garrett (foot) might miss the Giants because he didn't practice Thursday should remember he didn't practice last Thursday either.
He played 41 of 60 defensive snaps in the next game.
“They're doing a good job trying to find the best matchups for him,” said left tackle Andrew Thomas, a 2022 All-Pro second teamer. “It's all about technique. The simple keys are stance, getting off the ball, getting to your spot accurately and fighting until the whistle blows. He's a great player, but we have great players too.”
The offensive line is far from locked down permanently, with right guard Greg Van Roten on a one-year contract and right tackle Jermaine El-Huemneault on a one-year deal with a team option.
That means developing two previously underwhelming players from the 2022 draft, first-round pick Evan Neal and third-round pick Josh Ezuadu, off the bench remains crucial to the long-term vision.
But the veteran's Band-Aids are merely sewn over scars caused by the mistakes of its predecessors over the past decade.
Van Roten and Eluemnoor played side by side for the Raiders last season under the tutelage of Giants offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, so chemistry wasn't hard to build.
“For offensive linemen, experience is everything,” Thomas said. “It's a tough position. When you have guys who've been doing it for years, it makes it easier.”
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the offensive line against the Commanders was the way it applied double teams to the interior duo of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.
Runyan said the double teams led by center John-Michael Schmitz could be redirected to the edge by Garrett and Za'Darius Smith this week.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Runyan said, “but we're continuing to play well and build on our performance last week. We've got to play the same tenacious game. We're going to have to continue to run the ball and tire out the defense.”
Thomas is aware that the same five offensive linemen have played every snap thus far.
It's a path to steady improvement, a luxury he's rarely had for long periods in his five-year career.
“I'm happy with the progress we've made through the first two games,” Thomas said, “but to be called a great offensive line or even a good offensive line, you have to do it consistently.”
The Giants are finally starting somewhere.
