NY Giants rookie offensive tackle Andrew Thomas’ big change has paid big dividends in recent weeks
NY Giants rookie left tackle Andrew Thomas has improved dramatically over the past two weeks, but that hasn’t come without making a major change.
“He’s gone back to using his Georgia technique, and you can tell,” a league source tells GMenHQ.
Thomas, who was chosen by the Giants with the No. 4 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, has allowed 40 total pressures this season. But, according to Pro Football Focus, has had his two highest-graded performances in back-to-back weeks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Football Team.
Against Washington on Sunday, Thomas received a 66.4 pass blocking grade, one week after PFF awarded him a season-high 72.2 pass blocking grade against Tampa.
While Thomas’ performance may have been stronger overall against the Buccaneers, it is noteworthy that he did not allow a sack against Washington on Sunday and has surrendered just one sack in the past four games.
“He looks much more poised and in control now,” Paul Alexander, who trained Thomas to prepare for the draft tells GMenHQ. “This is the kid I watched dominate at Georgia. The biggest change is he’s much more poised and much more patient each snap.”
What Alexander is seeing on Sundays is at least partially a byproduct of a conversation with and audible by Giants offensive line coach Marc Colombo.
“He’s played really well,” Colombo said Tuesday. “His pass sets have been better, his run blocking has been better. We just have to keep growing .I know I’ve noticed a more confident Andrew the last few weeks, and we expect Andrew to keep getting better.”
The Giants need Thomas to continue to improve down the stretch as he has in recent weeks, particularly if New York is going to climb out of the NFC East cellar beginning with a win Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.