Giants Offensive Line Steps Up Big Time Without Ereck Flowers

By Kenneth Teape | Sep 25, 2015

The New York Giants were able to pick up their first win of the season Thursday night, defeating the Washington Redskins 32-21. A big reason for the success was the play of the Giants offensive line. Even without first round pick Ereck Flowers, who was out with an ankle injury, the unit stepped up big time, getting the job done up front against what has been a strong Redskins’ front in the first two weeks of the season.

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Against the Miami Dolphins Week 1, the Redskins got a ton of pressure on Ryan Tannehill as they almost pulled off a big upset. They racked up three sacks that game, hitting Tannehill another six times and making three tackles for loss. Against the Rams it was more success in the backfield, as they sacked Nick Foles once Week 2, but hit him another six times and two tackles for loss. Against the Giants that was nonexistent.

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Eli Manning got clean pockets virtually all evening. The Redskins were able to generate little pressure, as Manning was hit only twice all night and wasn’t sacked once. The Redskins also made only tackle for a loss, as the Giants offensive line had an extremely effective game.

The Giants run offense was virtually nonexistent, as they ran for only 84 yards on 31 carries for a poor 3.1 yards per carry average. But, the offensive line was doing their job up front as the Redskins weren’t really getting penetration, the Giants running backs just weren’t hitting the hole.

But, Manning was there to pick them up. With a clean pocket and lanes to throw, Manning picked the Redskins apart right from the start. He completed his first eight passes of the game to get into a rhythm early on. Without much of a pass rush, the Redskins were never able to knock him off that rhythm, as Manning finished the game with 23-of-32 completions for 279 yards and two touchdowns.

For the third straight game, Manning didn’t throw an interception; that now makes it 108 straight passes without one to start the season, the longest such stretch for him to start a season in his career.

The Giants offensive line was looked at as a trouble spot heading into the season with a starting lineup not decided until after the preseason. Even so, they had been able to put together good showings the first two weeks of the season.

But without Flowers in the lineup, and John Jerry entering it at guard and Justin Pugh kicking outside, it looked like tonight could be a problem with how well the Redskins had been getting into opposing backfields.

That did not happen though, as the Giants offensive line really stepped up without arguably their best player on the field tonight in Flowers. This was an encouraging performance for the Giants’ offensive line, and one they should be able to build some momentum off of as they will face a tall task in Week 4 against Rex Ryan and his dominant defensive front.

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