Andrew Thomas caught to the plan.
The Giants’ star left sort out performed 26 snaps in Sunday night time’s 22-9 loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, adhering to a lightened workload in his long-awaited return from foot surgical procedure.
Thomas mentioned he felt good bodily after his first sport motion in almost a yr.
“It felt great,” Thomas mentioned. “I missed football. I had fun out there. Obviously, would have loved to get the win, but it’s progress.”
Thomas performed the Giants’ first 26 offensive snaps earlier than giving option to rookie sort out Marcus Mbow, who got here in for the Giants’ last drive of the second quarter and performed the rest of the sport.
The Giants have been concentrating on 25 snaps for Thomas, in accordance with head coach Brian Daboll.
“That was just the game plan,” Thomas mentioned. “Just see how I respond, and hopefully that continues to build through the next few weeks.”
Sunday’s sport was Thomas’ first since he suffered a Lisfranc tear in his proper foot in Week 6 of final season.
Thomas, the No. 4 total decide in 2020 and a second-team All-Professional in 2022, is among the many NFL’s greatest blindside protectors, however he’s struggled to remain wholesome lately.
Since signing a five-year, $117.5 million contract extension earlier than the 2023 season, Thomas has missed 20 of a potential 37 video games. The Giants went 3-17 within the video games Thomas missed, in comparison with 6-11 with him within the lineup.
James Hudson III began the Giants’ first two video games at left sort out, however he gave up six pressures in Week 1, then surrendered a sack and dedicated a whopping 4 penalties on the opening drive in final week’s 40-37 time beyond regulation loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Mbow changed Hudson on the Giants’ second drive in that sport.
Requested if he was on observe for a full sport in Week 4, Thomas was non-committal.
“I won’t make any predictions,” Thomas mentioned. “We’ll see how it responds tomorrow, and we’ll talk about the plan.”
TRACY INJURED
Tyrone Tracy damage his shoulder within the first quarter Sunday and didn’t return, however he believes he prevented a critical damage.
The second-year working again was in seen ache after colliding with Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill and cornerback Jaylen Watson close to the sideline after a three-yard reception with 1:34 left within the quarter.
Tracy tapped his proper shoulder earlier than receiving medical consideration close to the Chiefs’ bench.
“I feel good,” Tracy mentioned afterward. “I mean, it’s sore, but I feel good. I told them I could go back in, but it’s a long season.”
Tracy began Sunday’s sport and touched the ball on the Giants’ first 5 performs. He completed with 29 yards on seven carries and two receptions for an additional seven yards.
“Further imaging will let us know [the severity],” Tracy mentioned.
Tracy’s absence led to an elevated workload for fourth-round rookie Cam Skattebo, who rushed for 60 yards and a landing on 10 carries and led the Giants with six receptions for 61 yards.
Skattebo additionally performed greater than Tracy towards the Cowboys final week, out-snapping him 35 to twenty-eight.
ABDUL PLAYS OFF THE BALL
Rookie cross rusher Abdul Carter began Sunday’s sport at off-ball linebacker subsequent to Bobby Okereke and performed there on first and second downs, solely switching to the line of defense as a cross rusher on third down.
This marked a giant change in Carter’s utilization from Weeks 1 and a couple of. He logged solely 5 of 33 snaps (15%) at linebacker in Week 1 on the Commanders and eight of 67 snaps (11%) off the ball in Week 2 at Dallas.
However accidents to a number of inside linebackers, together with Micah McFadden, Chris Board and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowler, created a necessity for a playmaker within the center. And Daboll and Shane Bowen are persistently looking for new methods to maintain the dynamic rookie on the sphere to make a most influence.
Initially Printed: September 21, 2025 at 10:56 PM EDT
