Giants Kayvon Thibodeaux seeking breakout vs. Browns

Kayvon Thibodeaux took a big step forward last week. Another step should get the Giants’ former first-round draft pick to the quarterback in time for his first sack. After a quiet season opener, a more disruptive Thibodeaux had two tackles for loss as a run stopper plus three pressures and two quarterback hits as a pass rusher against the Commanders. “He made major strides from Week 1 to Week 2,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said.“He challenged himself to come out [to practice] and work.

I felt the urgency from him after Week 1 and it showed.Go look at last Wednesday’s, Thursday’s, Friday’s practice and watch K.T.

Turn on the tape on Sunday and it’s going to show up.” The bar for Thibodeaux is higher than it has been in either of his first two seasons, including as a rookie drafted No.5 overall.

He is coming off an 11 ½-sack season and drawing fewer double-teams with Brian Burns rushing off the opposite edge. “I’m realizing it’s a long season, and the only way to get better is to get better.That’s the mindset I’ve been taking,” Thibodeaux said.

“We still lost, so individual [praise] don’t really hold any weight when you lose.” The Browns listed three offensive tackles on the injury report, but left tackle Jack Conklin is trending toward starting after full participation. “One of the bigger teams up front,” Thibodeaux said.“They like to move people.

They like to run the ball.So you’re definitely going to have to stop the run and be ready to set edges.” Bowen’s message to Thibodeaux is to “stay on the attack” because opportunities are coming. Sunday would be a cool time for Thibodeaux to break out because Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett will be on the other side. “You either have a lot of talent, or you have a lot of skill, or you’re Myles Garrett [with both],” Thibodeaux said.

“And he’s a guy who is a Hall of Famer.He’s a guy I looked up to coming out of high school.

And he’s go...