The Giants have used seven different starting offensive line combinations this season - they have played seven games.
But on Monday night in Kansas City, it will most likely be seven combinations in eight games.
The Giants have been riddled with injuries all over the field, including in the trenches. Nick Gates broke his leg, Shane Lemieux tore his patellar tendon, and Andrew Thomas is on the IR with an ankle injury.
But for once, it looks like their may be some consistent cohesion with that unit.
Head coach Joe Judge won't admit it's hurt the team, but he praised the coaches for getting the linemen prepped for different roles.
"I think sometimes that’s looked at externally more than maybe us internally," Judge told reporters on Saturday. "We expect all of our guys to play anyway. I’m proud of how all the guys are working and the progress they’re making. I think the offensive line guys are doing a great job coaching and getting these guys prepared. In terms of the same group carried over, you don’t want to lose any of your players, but at the same time, next man up, you’ve got to go, you’ve got to operate, you’ve got to function. I haven’t really thought too much about (how) it’s the same group two weeks in a row. It’s just get our guys out there and get them playing."
Fourth-year lineman Will Hernandez has moved all over the line after the injuries to the other linemen.
He also has been healthy for the majority of his career and, despite sometimes declining in play, he's been one constant since he's been drafted.
"I think Will took on the challenge of moving to the right side, which he played the majority of his career on the left side," Judge said. "That’s something he had to really go ahead and get used to, and he’s done a good job. He’s really embraced it. He’s excelled at it for us. He’s made a lot of improvement for it. I think him being on the field for every snap comes into a lot of things, but I think one of the things you look at is the way he worked in the offseason, the prep work he did, how he really worked on changing his body and improving a lot of the things and that’s carried over to this year. He’s been a really good player for us. He’s given us a lot of leadership.
"Will’s not the most vocal. He can be vocal, but he’s not a chatter box. He’s not just running around and just saying things to say it, so when he speaks up, they listen. They really go ahead, and they take on more from just how he approaches practice and how he goes about it throughout the duration of the day, and he’s done a good job for us."
