4 NY Giants who shut their haters up against the Commanders
• Darren Waller posted the first Giants TD of his career
• Big Blue finally has some momentum on their side ahead of the Jets game
By Lior Lampert
3. Pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux
Kayvon Thibodeaux’s revenge tour continues after a disappointing rookie season and he shut his haters up in a big way against the Commanders last week, recording four tackles (one tackle for loss), 1.5 sacks, and two quarterback hits.
It could’ve been an even bigger day had he not dropped an interception that would’ve been an easy walk-in touchdown for him and the Giants defensive unit. Regardless, Thibodeaux played 68 of 69 defensive snaps and was a major factor on virtually every snap, showing off his relentless motor. His role as an every-down player on this Giants defense often gets overlooked because it hasn’t always translated to sacks, but he is a factor in pass coverage as well.
Thibodeaux added to his sack total in Week 7 and he already has more sacks this season (5.5) than he had all of last season (four). He was a handful in Week 7 and the Commanders offensive line had no answers for him.
Week 7 against the Commanders was a reminder of why the G-Men were so excited to select Thibodeaux with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. As long as Wink Martindale continues to dial up the pressure, Thibodeaux is going to continue to silence the doubters by generating pressure and wreaking havoc in opposing backfields.