The Giants’ preseason opener offered a little of everything in a 13-10 loss to the Vikings on Saturday in East Rutherford, N.J. There were a few bright spots, some ugly stretches, and enough roster-level clues to keep the conversation going for a while.
Malachi Fields made one of the clearest statements of the day. The rookie wide receiver turned a scrambling Jaxson Dart play into a 15-yard touchdown catch, showing off the size, athleticism, and strong hands that can make him a problem for defenses. Fields finished with three catches for 34 yards.
Dart, meanwhile, had a mixed afternoon. The second-year quarterback flashed with that touchdown to Fields and also connected with Isaiah Likely for two first downs, both on third down.
But the bad moments were there too. Dart took two sacks, and one of them stood out because it looked avoidable.
He had a chance to get rid of the ball, held it instead, and wound up taking the sack. He also made an unwanted trip to the medical tent for a concussion check.
Isaiah Likely continued building chemistry with Dart during camp and carried that into the game. He finished with just two catches for 11 yards, but both moved the chains. That kind of production won’t jump off the page, but it mattered.
Jack Kelly kept making noise, just as he has all summer. The sixth-round pick led the Giants with five tackles and played a key role in helping Darius Alexander get his sack.
Alexander, for his part, added a sack, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. Chauncey Golston chipped in with a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits in limited snaps.
Braxton Berrios also helped himself. He handled punt return duties first and was on the initial kickoff return unit with Deonte Banks.
He brought back two punts for 15 yards apiece and added a 9-yard catch. If he stays healthy through the preseason, he looks like a roster lock.
Odell Beckham Jr. didn’t put up much statistically, catching two passes for 6 yards, but his appearance in a Giants uniform at MetLife Stadium still landed as one of the day’s notable sights.
The defense, though, had some rough edges. The first-half run defense was the biggest concern.
Even with D.J. Reader, Shelby Harris, Brian Burns, and Tremaine Edmunds out, the Giants gave up 62 rushing yards on 12 carries in the opening half, an average of 5.2 yards per attempt.
Minnesota ripped off runs of 17 and 15 yards on its first offensive series, which only sharpened the concern about the depth up front. The Giants may need Joe Schoen to find upgrades when rosters are cut from 90 to 53, especially at backup nose tackle.
There were also issues in the secondary. Deonte Banks played the entire first half with Paulson Adebo and Greg Newsome not in uniform, but his day went sideways with back-to-back penalties on second-quarter passes from J.J.
McCarthy, one for defensive holding and another for illegal contact. Art Green was flagged for pass interference on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
Korie Black drew a pass interference penalty, and rookie Colton Hood was called for illegal contact and gave up a 42-yard completion from McCarthy to Myles Price.
The quarterback depth chart didn’t help itself either. Brandon Allen entered midway through the third quarter and immediately threw his first pass to Minnesota linebacker Jacob Roberts, handing the Vikings the ball at the Giants’ 27-yard line.
Minnesota turned that into a 1-yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz to Myles Price. Allen later threw another interception trying to force a deep sideline throw to Ryan Miller, with Jacob Thomas picking it off.
The Giants may like Allen as a person and Brian Callahan may value him, but the performance made the third-quarterback conversation a lot less comfortable.
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