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Forget everything you’ve heard about continuity and the chemistry behind good offensive play online.
The giants did it.
The strategy of indiscriminately spinning three tackles and soon to be three guards through the left side, right side and bench runs completely against conventional norms, but the Giants’ offensive line problems have been so pronounced for so many years. years involving so many different players. and the coaches that perhaps “Opposite Day” was the only stone left unturned. So why is this effective?
“We’ve talked about it a lot internally, to be honest,” said coach Joe Judge. “Part of the reason maybe it gives our guys a bit of a break and they have fresher legs. Part of that can change what the defense can do to attack you – they can’t choose what a guy does and maybe it changes the way they approach each player without knowing who comes in.
Mark Schlereth – who played offensive line for 12 years in the NFL and was an NFL analyst at the Fox booth for two Giants games – has another idea.
“Sometimes it’s good to start a fire because you can’t play all the time, so you better understand what you’re supposed to be doing,” Schlereth told the Post. “I think there has been more attention to detail for younger players.”
Schlereth and a teammate alternated quarterbacks during the 1994 season. No exceptions based on merit.
“It was the dumbest thing in football history,” Schlereth said. “Normally I would criticize the rotational aspect, but a lot of it is about ‘let’s find out what we have’. When you are in the process of building a soccer team, you need depth. It’s not just about this year. It is also about building for the future. “
The Giants haven’t revolutionized football – the same five linemen playing together for the long haul, studying each other’s tendencies and sharing a brain remain the preferred role model – but they at least temporarily stabilized a weakness with a Pop Warner. like “everyone is playing” Strategy.
“The only thing we’ve come to a conclusion is that whatever the reasons the other side is, we like the way it works for us,” Judge said, “and we’ll carry on with it.
The offensive line set the stage for 166 rushing yards, a season-high, and ranked 11th best of the season in the league in pass-blocking efficiency against Washington, according to Pro Football Focus.
Three of left rookie Andrew Thomas’ four highest scores in a single game have come since he, right tackle Cam Fleming and slender rookie tackle Matt Peart started spinning. Thomas played 68 shots, Fleming 64 and Peart 24 against Washington.
“All three guys are playing well for us right now,” Judge said. “They’re all improving so that gives us a lot of confidence to keep pushing these guys forward.
The Giants are also set to adopt the guard strategy. Rookie Shane Lemieux has held firm during Will Hernandez’s two-game absence on the COVID-19 / reserve roster and will continue to get caught when Hernandez returns to the start against Kevin Zeitler.
“For the Giants, what you saw was a lot of technical errors early on – whether it was footwork, sets or not understanding where your assist is,” Schlereth said. “There was a lack of awareness because you have a group of young players. There’s a process where you say, “We’re fighting, we’re going to get reps from everyone and we’re going to see if the cream gets to the top. “
Schlereth also saw the Giants simplify requests between Weeks 4 and 6.
“At that position you have to find something to hang your hat on and then build from there,” Schlereth said. “When you have a lot of volume up front, there will be a lot of mistakes.”
The loss of spring training and preseason games to COVID-19 turned the first quarter of the season into a learning period for the Giants.
“Continuity is an important part, but we are also faced with a unique situation,” Zeitler said. “We have a lot of very talented young linemen in the room. Considering the start of the season, I think the ability to involve them has been very good for us.
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