New Faces Lead Giants to Impressive Preseason Win

Carter gave a brief look into the future with this game and where he could line up in the future. His presence on the field alongside other edge rushers, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, suggests that this is likely to happen in many third-down scenarios, with Carter lined up on the interior.

As for the other first-round rookie, Dart saw much more playing time. He went 12-of-19 for 154 yards and an impressive sideline touchdown to Lil’Jordan Humphrey.

This is a game that all Giants fans should be pleased with. He showed good aggressiveness, mobility, and quick timing. He looked very comfortable in this game, throwing the passes he favored at Ole Miss and scanning the field.

The only complaint with Dart’s stellar debut is that he missed some easy throws. There were routine short routes, and if he were to hit them, it might have led to another touchdown drive instead of a field goal.

Offensive Line Allows Zero Sacks

In 51 dropbacks, the Giants allowed zero sacks, something unheard of for them. Though second and third stringers did play the majority of the game, the Bills did play their starting defense against the Giants’ starting O-line, minus their best lineman, tackle Andrew Thomas.

This was an exciting turn of events, as the Giants have had some of the worst starting offensive lines and extremely unreliable depth over the past few years. The player on the line who made the most significant difference in this game is fifth-round rookie Marcus Mbow.

Mbow played both tackle positions this game and had multiple defenders on the ground. As stated before, the offensive line depth is shaky at best, and Mbow’s excellent play can lead him to a potential starting job at some point this season, or replace James Hudson III as the swing tackle.

CB2 Battle May Last All of Preseason

The ongoing cornerback battle between Cordale Flott and Deonte Banks is more of a competition than previously thought. With Flott out with an injury in this game, Banks had a prime opportunity to shine against backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Unfortunately for him, that is not what happened.

Banks played nearly all of the first half, longer than the other starters. During his time with the bench players, he struggled the most. His problem throughout his career has been the inability to turn his head when targeted and getting a slow start off the line. This game was no different.

Banks was nearly on the other end of a highlight one-handed catch by Kristian Wilkerson if his feet stayed in bounds. This rep could’ve been an excellent opportunity for Banks to make a play on the ball, but instead, he doesn’t turn his head and needs to try to force the receiver out of bounds.

When Flott does come back from his injury, this competition will be the focal point for the rest of the preseason, and if they are both underwhelming, the Giants may need to trade for a new cornerback.

New Players In Line for 53-Man Roster

There were players on both sides of the ball who showed that they deserved to be on the 53-man roster. On offense, receiver Montrell Washington and running back Dante Miller showed great promise and, with continued stellar preseason play, may see playing time in the regular season.

The Giants are very thin at depth at slot receiver, with just Wan’Dale Robinson. Washington would be a solid backup slot receiver who can fill in for Wan’Dale at any point. In this game, he showed excellent speed and an array of moves, with his highlight being a breakaway catch-and-run on a throw from Dart.

Miller’s speed proved to be unmatched in this game. He led the team in catches and receiving yards, as well as second in rushing yards. The injuries of Cam Skattebo and Eric Gray gave Miller a significant opportunity to shine in this game. His breakaway speed could give him a spot on this roster, but his odds are long as of now.

On the defensive side of the ball, D.J. Davidson dominated against the third-stringers. His power could not be contained, and he was causing chaos in the interior. The Giants’ defensive tackle depth is one of the weakest points of the team, and Davidson would be a viable backup nose tackle to Dexter Lawrence.