Big Blue View
The New York Giants host the New England Patriots in their third and final preseason game on Thursday night. Yours truly will be in attendance for the game, albeit we may see a limited number of Giants suit up.
New York has scored more than 30 points in each of its first two games; preseason or not, that’s impressive. The Giants’ offense moved the ball well, created explosive plays, and were — dare I say — exciting. Of course, it was against vanilla defensive shells, but it’s welcome, nonetheless.
I expect to see a lot of Tommy DeVito against the Patriots. It will be a game that gives the backend roster players one last opportunity to prove their worth, while putting more tape on their resume. However, there’s still plenty to glean from the affair. Here are five things to look for:
The Giants seem to love Miller, but the running back room is crowded. If he earns his keep on the Giants, it will be through special teams. He has handled kickoff responsibilities all preseason, but the Giants have also used his skill set as a gunner on the punt team.
Miller has caught 11 passes for 123 yards in the preseason, with a knack for finding the first-down marker in high-leverage situations. He hasn’t experienced the same success rushing the football (15 carries for 39 yards, 2.6 YPC), but his explosiveness in space jumps off the screen and attracts excitement.
What I am paying attention to in this game, though, is Miller’s usage. Cam Skattebo returned to practice on Tuesday, and the Giants may want to be wise with his workload. Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy Jr. may not see any carries, especially the latter if the first-team rests, as I presume.
This leaves Miller and Jonathan Ward as the only other two running backs on the roster. If Miller only receives limited work — and does well with it — then that could be a tip on how comfortable the Giants are with his skills, making the 53-man roster. However, a large Miller workload doesn’t suggest he won’t make the team, either.
The Giants drafted Alexander in the third round with the 65th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The 6’4, 305-pounder looks the part, but his offseason started slow due to an undisclosed injury that stalled his progression in OTAs and minicamp. He has since returned but has done little to affect the stat-sheet — he did have an assisted tackle against the Jets.
Alexander appears somewhat slow and often gets stuck on blocks. His explosiveness from Toledo has not flashed frequently in training camp or preseason, which is understandable given his slow start due to the injury. Still, it is also concerning since the Giants lack depth on their defensive line. Alexander should see ample snaps and an opportunity to work on his craft against the Patriots on Thursday.
The Giants are...
