ARLINGTON, Texas — There is only so much a player can do to aid his teammates. Leonard Williams believes he can do more.
Williams, who at times plays 90 percent of the snaps on the interior of the defensive line, is a mainstay for the Giants. It would help him a great deal if the outside linebackers could apply more pressure on the edge, which would alleviate some of the traffic Williams and Dexter Lawrence have to contend with on an every-down basis. Williams does a great deal, but when asked what he can do to help rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux find more production, Williams looked inward.
“To be honest maybe I could do a better job of focusing on what’s going on, on the edges,” Williams said. “I have a lot I have to learn after each game as well and a lot of times after a game I’m focusing on the interior and what’s going on in my position group and I don’t really have too much time to focus on what’s happening in those positions.
“But as a leader, as a vet, and someone who’s been through the process, I probably could do a little bit better job of seeing what’s going on and trying to help Kayvon where I can. I haven’t really seen anything specific so I can’t really point out anything specific. Overall, I think he’s definitely a hard worker and I’m sure whatever he’s having success at it is going to grow and whatever he’s struggling with is going to get better.”
Thursday’s game against the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium will be the first rematch of Thibodeaux’s NFL career. He missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury and made his debut in Week 3 against the Cowboys, with one tackle and one pass defensed. Williams missed that game, and the next two, with a sprained knee.
Brian Daboll is in his first season as a head coach, but this is his 21st year in the NFL. He said this is the sixth time he has worked a game on Thanksgiving.
“Third time against Dallas, I think,” Daboll said. “It’s great, it’s a great tribute — you know? You remember when you’re a kid, sitting down and watching television and the games and [John] Madden and turducken and all those type of things. Again, we got a big challenge ahead of us in Dallas and that’s where we got to keep it.”
Asked about his Thanksgiving game memories, Daniel Jones said he did not have any. He has never played on this holiday.
“Not even in high school,” he said. “Watched a lot of Thanksgiving games, obviously, but first time playing. I’m excited.”
Jones last week rushed for 50 yards, giving him 437 rushing yards this season, the most by a Giants quarterback in the Super Bowl era. He broke his own record of 423 yards set in 2020.
To make room for the signing of OL Devery Hamilton from the practice squad to the active roster, LB Austin Calitro was released.