NYG Postgame (vs. Patriots) Transcripts: LT Andrew Thomas
August 29, 2021
Q: Andrew, how would you evaluate how you played tonight? Especially on those first couple of drives?
A: I started off a little slow. There are some things I’ve got to improve on; my hand placement, staying wide on my set and keeping the depth with the pocket.
Q: What is your confidence level at this point that this year will start off better than last year’s start?
A: Confident; that is the thing Coach (Joe) Judge has been harping on this year is starting fast. Even in camp and in some of the practices, we started a little slow. It’s been an effort to start fast and play fast.
Q: Just for you personally, obviously, you struggled to begin your rookie year. Do you feel like you're in a better place where you can get off personally to a better start than you did last year? And if so, what?
A: I think I made improvements, but there are a lot of things that I still need to work on. I’m trying to fix those things in camp, just hand placement and just being very consistent in my set. Sometimes I do it the right way, sometimes it might not be to my liking. I’m just trying to be as consistent as possible.
Q: Did hurt your ankle tonight?
A: No, I spatted it just for extra help, but I didn't roll it.
Q: When you look at the sacks that that occurred, what do you do to look at it and say, I needed to do better on these plays? Do you need to set deeper?
A: When I watch film, the first thing I look at is just my set because, in my mind, I'm setting to a spot, not necessarily looking at the rusher. I look at that and see if I'm square at the spot and then after that, I look at my hand placement and then I think on the first one today, I was just trying to stay squared as long as possible and not opening up on my third kick is the biggest thing.
Q: I think a lot of Giants fans will look at the first half of this offensive line and in your performance and say “Here we go again; it's going to be a rough, rough start season for the line and for you.”, what would you say to kind of alleviate some of those concerns?
A: That we're working every day to get better. We know what we have to do. We are going to go in, watch the film together and do the things we have to do to get better for the first week.
Q: Andrew, you have played Left Tackle throughout your career, is it a lot of pressure knowing that you're the blind side protector and then if you don't do your job, everything breaks down?
A: Yeah, there's definitely pressure, but I put pressure on myself. I know I've been given this role and I have worked hard to be here. I have to step up and go do what I have to do to play well.
Q: Andrew, is two weeks enough time to make the sort of corrections and make the sort of improvements you just talked about in time for the Opener (Week 1 against the Denver Broncos)?
A: Definitely. There’s a lot of time to practice, a lot of time to watch film and to get my corrections from the coaches. I think there's enough time.
is saying all the right things, but his horrid performance against the Pats was quite unsettling. Quite.
So, in limited action against the Jets two weeks ago and again last night, Andrew Thomas could not handle outside speed. He seems to lack even a mediocre punch; he looks top-heavy and lumbering; he leans too much; and his set-up is a freaking mess.
It says right here that this franchise will be set back another few years if this guy turns out to be another Ereck Flowers. And this season will depend a lot more on how Andrew Thomas plays than how Daniel Jones plays. It looks like Andrew Thomas is going to send Daniel Jones straight to the orthopedic surgeon.
1964 - 1980.
If you miss on a highly drafted player, it sets off a chain-reaction. You then have to go back to the well and spend more draft capital on the same position, which in turn means you couldn't use that draft capital on another position of need. That's how NFL franchises stay lousy for years. That's why the Giants have been lousy for years. Eli Apple, Ereck Flowers et. al.