Sisi Mauigoa Faces a Major Test in NFL Career
Sisi Mauigoa, the rookie guard drafted by the Giants with the 10th overall pick, is gearing up for a significant challenge in his early NFL career.
During the upcoming “Monday Night Football” game against the Rams in Los Angeles, he’s expected to go up against Aaron Donald, a renowned superstar who recently returned from retirement. Donald missed the Rams’ loss to the 49ers in Week 1 of the season.
“Sisi is a strong dude, too,” remarked Giants offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren. “He’s not your average rookie.”
In his first game, Mauigoa was essentially flawless, not allowing any pressures or quarterback hits on 36 pass blocking attempts, as reported by Next Gen Stats. He has now become the first rookie since 2018 to achieve 35 or more pass blocking snaps in a Week 1 game without allowing a pressure.
However, facing Donald—who has been named Defensive Player of the Year three times and is an eight-time First Team All-Pro—marks a significant step up for Mauigoa. This matchup will be Donald’s first game in two and a half years, even though he indicated that “that’s the overall plan” when asked about playing Monday.
“As long as he keeps his poise and uses his technique, he’s gonna give himself his best chance,” Bloomgren said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus and executing well. “We want to make sure he’s able to get his hands where he wants them, understanding how to set in those certain situations.”
After weeks of uncertainty, Donald officially returned to the Rams late last month with a one-year, $30 million contract, following a period away from the game that included missing much of training camp. “I’m feeling really good,” Donald shared, noting that he felt more comfortable with additional practice time.
Head coach John Harbaugh mentioned that Malik Nabers is nearing a point where he can handle a full workload. “It’s a question we’re asking ourselves, in all honesty,” he stated. “He had a good workload [Friday] again, so as he’s ramping up his volume in practice, we’ll see how things progress during the games.”
On another note, cornerback Deonte Banks (calf) missed practice for the second consecutive day, although he is still listed as questionable for Monday’s game. Banks experienced cramping during the previous week’s victory over the Cowboys and has seen his status decline as he missed practice on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
The cornerback position is already feeling the strain after Paulson Adebo was placed on injured reserve due to a knee issue. Additionally, Rams star receiver Puka Nacua (hip) also missed practice for the second day in a row and is listed as questionable.
