Big Blue View
Take preseason games for what they are – a chance for players to get used to playing with each other, for rookies to get into the rhythm of real NFL game action, and for those on the roster bubble to make their case. By any measure, though, the New York Giants’ 31-12 victory over the New York Jets was a success. If nothing else, it’s been years since the Giants defeated the Jets in any game, whether it counted or not, and goodness knows, this team has to get used to winning after two miserable seasons. Let’s see who was on the field a lot or a little and how they performed in the eyes of your favorite evaluators, the people at Pro Football Focus.
A note about playing time: In preseason games, snap counts are not meaningful in the way that they are in the regular season. In the real games, the best players play as much as possible. Depending on position and talent, some may play all or most snaps (e.g., quarterback, starting offensive linemen, off-ball linebackers, defensive backs). Other positions will inevitably rotate in and out (e.g., defensive line, running backs, receivers). In the pre-season, though, the coaches’ dual goals are to get the starters sufficient work to have them ready for the real season, and to evaluate those on the roster bubble and those whose roles might expand given a fair chance to shine. Here is Brian Daboll’s explanation of that:
“We had a target of what we wanted to get. For example, the inside linebackers, we were hoping for around 20 each so I was asking between every series, ‘Where are we at with (inside linebacker) Bobby O (Okereke)?’ ‘He’s at 15.’ ‘Where we at with (inside linebacker) Micah (McFadden)?’ ‘He’s at 21 or 20.’ ‘Alright, get Bobby O one more. Where we at with (inside linebacker) Darius (Muasau)?’ ‘He got 25.’ We had how many reps we wanted to get so who was in there, when they were in there, doesn’t really necessarily mean anything…I’m talking to the coaches in between every series, where they’re at, target number. (Cornerback Cor’Dale) Flott had a couple more than we were going to give him. I think he had 18, we were shooting for roughly 10-12 but they got into a little bit of a series. (Wide received Darius) Slayton and Hyatt were right around 10-12, which they got right around that area, so I’d say the reps or the rep counting that everybody’s doing, I understand it, but there’s a specific plan for it and the reason why we do it.”
It’s great that the Giants have put up more than 30 points in their first two preseason games. Remember, though, who’s on the field on the other side of the ball. The Jets, who have had a pretty stout defense the past couple of years, did not play Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, Will McDonald IV, and Jermaine Johnson at...
