Following the NY Giants upset victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, the team is looking to have a repeat performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. In order for that to happen, some players on the Giants are going to need to step up in a big way in order to propel this team over a pretty solid Panthers squad.
This Panthers team is not the kind to overlook, as despite their Week 1 loss, this team is still chock-full of talent. Especially when it comes to the offensive side of the ball, which holds players like Christian McCaffrey, D,J Moore, Robbie Anderson, etc. All players who have the potential to wreck the Giants chances of winning this game.
With that being said, here are three three under-the-radar NY Giants players who can help power the team over the Panthers:
3. OG Josh Ezeudu
Despite Ben Bredeson getting the start last week, we saw a good amount of rookie offensive guard Josh Ezeudu, who had a very up and down performance.
Ezeudu looked fantastic in the run game, making several key blocks on important plays, but he struggled massively in pass protection. While it may make sense to start the rookie in order to give him the reps he needs to improve, it seems as if coach Brian Daboll still wants to rotate between both Bredeson and Ezeudu.
This is a little interesting, as while yes, we understand Ezeudu had his struggles in the pass game. His run blocking was tremendous compared to Bredeson.
Look at the job the left side of the offensive line (from center to left tackle) does on this Saquon Barkley TD run. Just a HUGE hole. This exemplifies the second half. #giants
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) September 14, 2022
C Jon Feliciano (76)
LG Josh Ezeudu (75)
LT Andrew Thomas (78) pic.twitter.com/ZRftYgRwmy
Regardless, if Ezeudu wants to have a chance at seeing reps or potentially starting when Shane Lemieux comes back, he must make the most out of every opportunity he is given. Especially in pass protection, as it seems as if that could be his Achilles heel.
In the game against the Titans, Ezeudu saw 29 offensive snaps played compared to Bredson’s 33. However, with how well Ezeudu played compared to Bredeson, there is a chance we see Ezeudu take over the majority of offensive snaps at the left guard spot for the time being. If this happens, he could be in line for a big game in Week 2.