Michael Thomas’ path to the field this season has most often come on special teams.
But the veteran Giants safety is beginning to find his role on defense.
Thomas played a season-high 39 defensive snaps on Monday against the 49ers as defensive coordinator James Bettcher went for a three-safety look. Landon Collins and Curtis Riley still played every single snap, but Thomas was often out there as well to allow Collins the freedom to move around more without losing help over the top.
Sunday against the pass-happy Buccaneers, Thomas could be in for more work.
“Obviously you want to have the right type of people on the field for different situations,” Thomas said. “But for us to have A) the personnel to do it and B) just to have the matchups, especially against a team like that that wants to pass, if you can put more DB-like bodies, but match up skill for skill, pound for pound, it gives you a chance.”
Dating back to Week 5, Thomas has rated as a top-10 safety in coverage, per Pro Football Focus.
Arguably general manager Dave Gettleman’s best offseason signing, the special-teams captain has also provided a lift behind the scenes.
“Mike T is unbelievable for our room,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said. “He does everything he can possibly do to help this football team win. They don’t get any better than him.”
The Giants’ tight ends combined for just five catches for 52 yards in Monday’s win over the 49ers, but position coach Lunda Wells said he believes his unit had its best overall game of the season.
That coincided with Evan Engram — who caught three of his four passes during the game-winning drive — playing only 36 snaps (61 percent), his lowest marks other than a game in which he was injured. Instead, Rhett Ellison and Scott Simonson got more action early for their run blocking.
“We saw opportunities to utilize all our personnel within that room in that game,” Wells said. “It wasn’t like a direct reflection on [Engram]. It was just taking advantage of our 53-man roster.”
Alec Ogletree has struggled in pass coverage this season — with Monday, when he was burned by running back Matt Breida on an 11-yard touchdown catch, serving as the latest example.
“I talked about it with him, we’ve met about it, we’ve looked at some film study about it and in individual time, we’ve spent a little more time on it,” linebackers coach Bill McGovern said.
Right guard Jamon Brown (ankle) was added to the injury report but was a full participant in practice. No Giants have game statuses, meaning all 53 should be healthy for the second straight week.
The Giants are hosting a food drive at Sunday’s game. Fans are encouraged to bring canned or non-perishable food to place in bins at the gates of MetLife Stadium.
