EAST RUTHERFORD — The dominant pass rush that led the Giants to a 29-20 upset win in Seattle on Sunday came at a potentially significant cost.
Head coach Brian Daboll announced Wednesday that outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux underwent wrist surgery, and his status is considered “week to week.” NFL’s Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Thibodeaux needed to repair a fractured scaphoid bone.
Thibodeaux won’t play this Sunday against the Bengals, and Daboll wouldn’t say whether he was certain it won’t be a season-ending ailment.
“I’m not going to give you a timeline or anything like that,” Daboll said. “I would just say he’s week to week. I’m encouraged with what I’ve heard. But again, you never know.”
Thibodeaux’s absence will free up snaps for players like Azeez Ojulari, Boogie Basham and Patrick Johnson.
“Azeez has been good for us. He’ll be important if Kayvon’s not there,” Daboll said. “And, whether it’s Boogie, whether it’s Pat, whoever it may be, we have confidence in the guys.”
Ojulari has played 37 percent of the defensive snaps as a rotational player this season with one sack and 10 tackles. He will likely take over Thibodeaux’s starting spot indefinitely.
“I’m here every single day preparing,” Ojulari said. “No matter what it is, I’ll be ready to go out there and just perform at the highest level, execute the game plan and do my job.”
The University of Georgia product has often been injured since the Giants drafted him in the second round in 2021, but he does he have 25 career starts and 17 sacks.
“I sent him a text message and told him it’s his time and this is his opportunity to take over,” All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence said. “I don’t think Azeez is a drop-off (from Thibodeaux). I think he’s very capable of holding his own and he’s done it for a while, and now he just gets more reps to prove himself.”
Thibodeaux, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 draft, has two sacks and seven quarterback hits through five games this year. He’s had a relatively modest third season, but this past Sunday was a huge step forward for the Giants’ defensive line as a whole.
Thibodeaux recorded half a sack, one quarterback hit and five pressures in a game where the Giants were seven-point underdogs. Thibodeaux combined with Lawrence to sack Smith on third-and-6 from the Seahawks’ 43-yard line with 9:37 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Giants nursing a 23-13 lead.
The Giants totaled seven sacks and 24 pressures against quarterback Geno Smith, who attempted 40 passes. They blitzed on only 20 percent of the Seahawks’ 50 dropbacks, making it arguably the defense’s best performance of the season in terms of harassing the quarterback.
The Giants had previously been relying more on blitzing to generate pressure, like when they sent extra pressure on 57.4 percent of the Browns’ dropbacks in Week 3 en route to eight sacks and a 21-15 win in Cleveland.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s scheme generally calls for zone coverage with less blitzing, though clearly the Giants are intent on mixing and matching depending on the opponent as they find their identity.
But Thibodeaux, Lawrence and Burns, who combined for 16 pressures in Seattle, are the bedrock of this defense as the Giants continue to groom a less heralded, inexperienced secondary.
The Giants now lead the NFL with 22 sacks. Their next opponent, the Bengals, are tied with the Cardinals for the 11th-fewest sacks allowed in the league while featuring a pair 6-foot-8 offensive tackles in Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims.
Cincinnati (1-4) visits the Meadowlands this Sunday night as New York (2-3) looks to win at home for the first time and even its record back to .500.
Nabers Progressing in Protocol
Wide receiver Malik Nabers remains in the concussion protocol after missing the Seahawks game but is “doing better,” according to Daboll.
Nabers worked off to the side with trainers during Wednesday’s practice, which was progress, but he was still officially listed as a non-participant.
“He’s feeling better,” Daboll said before practice. “But again, I’ll take those very seriously and go through each step. But he is doing better. So, we’ll see how he does after he does some activity out there on the grass today.”
Left guard Jon Runyan Jr missed practice with an illness, as did right guard Greg Van Roten for a veteran rest day.
Burns (groin), running back Devin Singletary (groin) and cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson and Dru Phillips (calf/shoulder) were limited. Singletary said in the locker room afterward that he likes his chances of playing against the Bengals after missing the Seahawks game.
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