Five Takeaways From Giants Preseason Debut
The New York Giants lost their preseason opener to the Miami Dolphins 27-10.
The play on the field was far from polished, as one would expect from the first game of the preseason. In spite of the final score, there are some positives that can be taken away from Friday’s game.
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The First Team Offense Performed Well
In a departure from the way former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin operated, Ben McAdoo elected to sit Eli Manning in favor of backup Ryan Nassib. Nassib, who had only attempted 10 passes in his three seasons with the Giants, was very effective while on the field with the first-team offense. On the game’s first drive, Nassib marched the Giants down the field 74 yards for a touchdown.
The Free Agents Showed Up
In another departure from the Giants’ usual modus operandi, the team spent big money upgrading the NFL’s worst overall defense in 2015. Damon Harrison, Janoris Jenkins, and Olivier Vernon did not disappoint in their first taste of action in a Giants uniform. The first team defense held the Dolphins’ starting offense to just 19 yards and an interception on their first three possessions.
The Big Three Rookies Showed Up As Well
The Giants’ first three draft picks (Eli Apple, Sterling Shepard, and Darian Thompson) all had performances that justified their draft positions. Shepard’s diving 24-yard reception that set up the Giants’ lone touchdown was the offensive highlight of the night. Apple had a great stop to get the defense off the field and Thompson’s performance was solid as well.
The Giants’ Defense Got At The Quarterback
One of the biggest issues the Giants’ defense had in 2015 was an inability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. This was not the case on Friday night as Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul (who used a modified glove) made life for Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill uncomfortable with constant hitting and pressure. Second-year defensive end Owa Odighizuwa also shined, finishing the game with two sacks for a loss of 10 yards. The Giants finished the game with eight quarterback hits and four sacks.
Andre Williams Led The Giants’ Ground Attack
The biggest surprise of the evening had to be the running of Andre Williams. Williams, who came into training camp as a question mark, was the Giants’ best rusher on Friday night with 41 yards on nine carries (4.6 yards per carry). Williams, whose longest run was for 16 yards, also had a 12-yard run that wiped away by a holding penalty. The Giants finished the game with 158 yards on 32 carries (4.9 yards per carry).
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