Andrew Thomas is aware of what awaits the Giants.
Recent off of a nine-sack demolition of the Jets final weekend, the Denver Broncos’ prolific move rush is about to welcome the Giants to Empower Subject at Mile Excessive on Sunday afternoon.
It will likely be the largest check but for the Giants’ new-look offense.
“They have a lot of guys up front that create havoc, and they play really well in the back end as well,” Thomas, the Giants’ star left sort out, mentioned Monday.
“I think their coordinator [Vance Joseph] puts them in great positions to make plays. For us up front, we’ve just got to trust our technique. It’s a tough environment to play in, so communication is going to be important on early downs to avoid some of those third-and-long situations.”
After all, that’s simpler mentioned than completed.
The Broncos (4-2) lead the NFL with a whopping 30 sacks by means of six video games — 10 greater than every other group.
They’re on tempo for 85 sacks, which might shatter the single-season file of 72 set by the 1985 Chicago Bears. Sure, the ‘85 Bears, whose storied protection is revered as one of many highest — if not one of the best — in NFL historical past.
The Broncos are averaging 5.0 sacks per recreation, higher than the 4.5 that Chicago averaged in 1985, when the schedule was 16 video games.
Denver’s 63 quarterback hits are additionally probably the most within the NFL, as are its 77 pressures.
“We want to play against the best,” Thomas mentioned. “And right now, the Broncos have the most sacks, the most pressures, so they’re one of the most talented groups up front. We’re definitely excited for the challenge.”
Denver has recorded a sack on 13.7% of passing snaps, which is much superior to the second-place Pittsburgh Steelers’ fee of 9.5%. If Denver can keep that share by means of the tip of the season, it might be the best sack fee by a protection since 1984, in keeping with NFL analytics guru Aaron Schatz.
And the Broncos do it with out extreme blitzing. Their 28.1% blitz fee is the seventh highest within the NFL.
That’s a testomony to the Broncos’ fearsome defensive entrance, which begins with Professional Bowl linebacker Nik Bonitto.
A second-round choose in 2022, Bonitto leads the NFL with 8.0 sacks. That’s after the fourth-year professional totaled 13.5 sacks in 2024 in his first season as a full-time starter.
“He does a really good job of getting off the ball,” mentioned Thomas, who will probably be lined up ceaselessly towards Bonitto. “He has good bend at the top of the rush, but a lot of speed guys, normally they don’t have great power. But what makes him unique is he can power rush as well.”
Bonitto is an early entrance runner for NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr, an award received final season by Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
On the opposite facet of the Denver defensive entrance, linebacker Jonathon Cooper has 4.5 sacks. Justin Strnad has 3.5, whereas former Jets defensive finish John Franklin-Meyers has 3.0.
Eight totally different Broncos have been credited with not less than a half-sack in Sunday’s 13-11 win in London, throughout which the Justin Fields-led Jets completed with -10 internet passing yards.
“It starts up front, especially with those guys,” Giants large receiver Wan’Dale Robinson mentioned. “I trained with Nik Bonitto a little bit during the pre-draft, so I know a little bit about him. Obviously, on the back end, they have some really great DBs. Just a really solid defense all around, but we’ve got to be ready to go.”
Sunday’s recreation in Denver may come right down to a matchup of strengths, because the Giants’ offensive line delivered a dominant displaying in final Thursday’s 34-17 win over the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The Giants (4-2) rushed for a season-high 172 speeding yards, together with 98 by rookie working again Cam Skattebo on 19 carries. Skattebo rushed for 3 touchdowns, whereas rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart ran for one more.
After being sacked 5 instances in Week 4 in his first NFL begin, Dart has suffered solely three sacks over the previous two weeks.
Thomas, who missed the primary two video games of the season as he recovered from foot surgical procedure, has not allowed a sack or a QB hit since returning.
“The beautiful thing about [an] offensive line is, it’s a unit,” Thomas mentioned. “It doesn’t matter how well one person is playing. It’s about all five. … I missed a lot of time last year and missed training camp, but for us to get on the same page as quick as we did speaks a lot to those guys.”
