Andrew Thomas made his return to the field Monday night against the Buccaneers after missing four of the last five games due to injury.
The second-year tackle had the highlight of the game for the Giants when he went up and high-pointed a short pass from Daniel Jones for the team's only touchdown of the game. But Thomas' Week 11 performance went beyond that catch, as he finished with the second-highest grade on the offense from Pro Football Focus with his 70.9 overall grade, including a strong 78.8 pass block grade.
PFF recently chose eight breakout second-year players across the NFL, and the Giants' starting left tackle was the only offensive lineman to make the list.
As PFF's Michael Renner writes, "Through five games this season before a foot injury, he was a completely different player. After allowing 10 sacks and 57 total pressures as a rookie, Thomas hasn't given up a sack this season and has only yielded seven total pressures. "
Thomas has now earned a 78.1 pass block grade on the season, which ranks 15th among all offensive tackles. While it was only one play, the 22-year-old tackle was given a 90.4 receiving grade for his impressive touchdown catch. Thomas also caught a two-point conversion against the Dallas Cowboys during his rookie season last year.
View the best photos from the career of Giants All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas.
Jason Garrett relieved of duties as offensive coordinator
The Giants’ decision to move on from offensive coordinator Jason Garrett encompasses numerous complexities but was made for one very basic reason.
"I feel we have to be more productive as an offense," said coach Joe Judge, who has the final say on the composition of his staff. "Generally speaking, the offense's job is to score points. I don't believe we're scoring enough points. It's my job as the head coach to make sure I give our players the opportunity to go out there and make plays."
Garrett was fired the day after the Giants scored a season-low points total in a 30-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Raymond James Stadium. The Giants also produced 2021 nadirs in total yards (215), first downs (15), time of possession (24:21), and third-down conversions (one). They did not score a touchdown on a drive longer than five yards. Only one of their 54 plays gained more than 16 yards.
The 3-7 Giants have seven games remaining, beginning Sunday at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. Judge would not say who will call the plays, but senior offensive assistant Freddie Kitchens, who took over as the Cleveland Browns' coordinator for the final eight games of the 2018 season and was their head coach two years ago, is a candidate.
"We're going to handle things collaboratively in-house with the offense," Judge said, "and we'll kind of go on as the week goes in terms of specific roles on a game day. … We'll make those decisions and get everything ironed out before the game."
Responding to another question later in his conference call, Judge said, "In terms of play-calling, we'll talk with the offense and I'd say everything's on the table." Asked if that means he might call the plays," Judge said, "everything's on the table."
How will the offense look different than it did under Garrett?
"We'll have to see as we put the plan together going forward," Judge said. "Obviously, we're going to do some things and the goal is to score more points, be more productive, so we'll talk in terms of game planning tonight specifically for the Eagles at this point and see how that looks when we get the call sheet together."
📸 EVERY Photos from Giants' MNF matchup against Buccaneers
From the team traveling down to Tampa Bay to Andrew Thomas' impressive touchdown catch, view EVERY photo from the Giants Week 11 matchup against the Buccaneers.
View all the action from Monday Night Football between the Giants and Buccaneers in Tampa Bay.
Tickets for Michael Strahan Ceremony
Limited tickets are available for Michael Strahan's jersey retirement game on November 28th