The New York Giants opened up their 2022 preseason schedule with a jaunt up I-95 to New England to face the Patriots.
The Pats did not dress any of their starters in this game while the Giants decided to take a different approach.
Here’s some early winners and losers from Thursday’s 23-21 victory.
Winners: LB Darrian Beavers and the running backs
Darrian Beavers, a sixth-round pick in this year’s NFL draft out of Cincinnati, was one of the only Giants who stood out in this game. He just looks like an NFL player.
The 6-foot-4, 237-pound Beavers is the type of player defensive coordinator Wink Martindale loves to plug and play. He showed very good anticipation and hit with authority making three total tackles, one for a loss and showed nice presence in pass coverage.
The Giants rushed the ball with some urgency, gaining 177 yards on the ground in this game.
Saquon Barkley showed some burst with four rushes for 13 yards and a reception for eight more. Gary Brightwell ran seven times for 40 yards and gained 19 on two receptions.
Free agent Antonio Williams led the Giants with 61 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown. Rookie Jashaun Corbin showed some life with with six rushes for 23 yards and catching five passes for 28 more yards.
Losers: WR Kenny Golladay and CB Aaron Robinson
Kenny Golladay had no touchdowns in 2021 and that hasn’t changed. We know it’s only preseason, but Golladay looked lax in in his short time on the field.
He was targeted twice on the opening drive and came up empty. The second target was a third-and-6 from the New England seven-yard line. Daniel Jones hit Golladay in the numbers on the two-yard line on a short slant on what should have been either a first down or even a touchdown.
Golladay could not reel in the pass and the Giants had to settle for a field goal.
Aaron Robinson is supposedly the Giants’ No. 2 cornerback but he looked mighty rusty in the first quarter, first getting burned deep twice down the sideline for big gains (was was broken up) and then getting flagged twice in the end zone, once for taunting and the other for holding.
The second play in the end zone resulted in a touchdown. All in all, he showed some competitiveness but he’s got a lot of cleaning up to do.
Winner/Mixed: WR Collin Johnson
The 6-foot-6 Collin Johnson made several nice catches but fumbled the ball away near midfield in the second quarter. He caught seven of eight targets for 82 yards.
First-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux was very quiet in his short stint. Right tackle Evan Neal, the Giants’ other first-round pick, allowed a sack in his debut.
Free agent Richie James Jr. caught the deflection off Johnson and two other passes for 44 total yards. One of his catches went for a seven-yard touchdown from backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
Potential Loser: WR Kadarius Toney
Kadarius Toney wasn’t likely to play in this one after tweaking a knee in practice but it’s just another absence in what has become a frustrating trend for Toney and Giant fans.
The 20th overall selection in last year’s NFL draft underwent offseason knee surgery and had been practicing in camp.
In reality, the Giants are the real losers here if Toney can’t stay healthy. Their wide receiver corps is already this with Sterling Shepard (Achilles) on PUP and expected to stay there for some time.
Pot Luck
Daniel Jones went 6 for 10 for 69 yards and moved the offense well.
