“I don’t expect anything different (in performance),” offensive line coach Hal Hunter said. “Pulley played really good for us last year. I went back and I watched a couple of the games from last year just to look at him and see how he played last year. He’s a smart player, he’s a tough player. He’s probably bigger and stronger than he’s ever been. I’ve kind of monitored these guys and how they’ve progressed. He’s actually about nine to 10 pounds heavier, he’s a lot stronger. So, I expect more physical play out of him. He’s a cerebral player, he’s a functional player, he plays with athleticism. Honestly, I don’t expect to miss a beat. To say they are going to miss a beat, I think, is making an excuse. I expect that he will play, and demand that he will play, every bit as good as Pio did.”
Gates will be held to the same high standard, though he is not nearly as experienced as Pulley. He also entered the league as a rookie free agent, in 2018 with the Giants, from Nebraska. Gates spent the entire season on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury in the preseason.
The Giants like his ability, football acumen and versatility; Gates can play all five line positions.
“It’s nice to be able to play anywhere on the line but I was focusing on wherever they wanted me to play,” Gates said. “Just being undrafted, you have to be able to be plugged in here and there. My goal was just to make the team and come in and make the team any way I could. That’s what I did.”
Hunter quickly became a Gates fan.
“What I like about Nick Gates as a player is, first of all, he’s a tough guy, he plays with athleticism and balance,” Hunter said. “He’s a conceptual player, he kind of does everything you ask him to do. I like everything about him. I think he’s got the mental makeup and he’s got some physical tools. What he needs the most, as any young player, he needs to play more. He needs to play. What he did in the preseason, and all of the different positions he played - he played all five positions in the preseason. He shows a lot of promise, and I’m glad we have him.”
Gates would be making his first start since Nov. 24, 2017, when Nebraska ended its season with a 56-14 home loss to Iowa.
“I played (right tackle) in college a little bit, so it’s not a new position to me,” Gates said. “I’m versatile, so I can play any position. I’m fine getting plugged in here and there. I’m just going to go out and try to play my best.”
Just as Pulley has conferred with Halapio, Gates has spent time this week getting help from Remmers, a seven-year veteran.
“I have been talking to Mike a bit more about what he sees and what he keys in on with the defense and things like that,” Gates said. “I try to pick all the guys’ brains a little bit.”
On Sunday, he may be able to do that on the field during a game as the Giants’ offensive line takes on a new look for the first time this season.
*In addition to Halapio, wide receiver Sterling Shepard (concussion) and tight end Evan Engram (foot) will not play. Shepard will miss his fifth consecutive game and sixth of the season, and Engram will sit for the second time.
*This is the Giants’ final game before their bye. Despite losses in each of the last two seasons, the Giants are 20-10 in pre-bye games, a .667 winning percentage that ties them with New Orleans for fourth in the NFL, behind Seattle, Minnesota and Dallas.
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November 08, 2019 at 12:34PM
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Injuries force changes to Giants O-line in Week 10 - Giants.com
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