Even in a passing league, offensive lines like to play a physical brand of ball as opposed to finesse. The Giants have a number of different choices at running back but it doesn’t matter to the offensive line who is getting the carries. Something like the progression and difference in the running style of Andre Williams doesn’t have everybody up front concerned.
“Honestly, I don’t even know who the running back is back there when we are going, so I don’t know how,” said center Weston Richburg. “I have no idea. I don’t know but I am excited about it, though. I think we have some good guys back there that are hungry. Hungry like we are up front.”
In Friday’s preseason opening loss to the Dolphins, the lone Giants touchdown came on a three-yard run from Rashad Jennings.
“I think we did some good things in the run game and that is what we wanted to come and do,” Richburg said. “We wanted to be physical and I know we talk about that all the time, but that really is the basis of what we want to do. I think we did some good things with our physicality. Communication, I thought, was good. I think we need to clean up the pass game a little bit and make sure we give whoever is back there plenty of time to make their throws and reads.”
The pass protection was not as reliable as the run blocking, as Ryan Nassib went 7-15 for 75 yards and was picked off twice. The quarterback was under pressure and was almost stripped of the ball while running out of the pocket. According to Richburg, any issues on the part of the offensive line were handled by the lineman. Nassib’s issues can be handled by the coaching staff.
“I think I pulled my offensive line aside,” Richburg said. “I think we didn’t really help him out that much and I think he was under pressure a little bit and we kind of made it rough on him. I can only handle the guys that we have in our room. We get together on the sidelines and try to straighten things out and get things right and that is the only thing I can really worry about.”
Richburg added that he can motivate Nassib although pointing out specifics won’t be happening.
“Maybe I don’t know anything about quarterbacks, so I am not going to go there, but I can encourage and that is my job as a good teammate, to encourage and help guys get over things like that.”
For Nassib’s part, head coach Ben McAdoo has confidence that Eli Manning’s backup won’t be a wreck because of one tough exhibition game. “Ryan is going to bounce back,” McAdoo said. “He’s a pro. He’s a guy that is going to come in, he’s going to prepare, he’s going to go about his business the right way, and attack practice the same way he always has.”