The New York Giants started their preseason on the right foot, beating the Patriots 23-21 on a game-winning field goal from Graham Gano in the dying seconds of the game.
While there were a few negatives to take away from this game, there were far too many positives to miss. Overall, it was a good win for the Giants. Was it the clearest victory? No. However, the team played very well with each other and earned a positive result.
It was a fun game to watch, with many underrated New York Giants players performing very well and even exceeding some of the expectations. With that, here are four takeaways from the 23-21 win.
4. The Giants finally have depth at RB and WR
After the NY Giants starting attack ended, the replacements arrived and they did not disappoint. As for receivers, while Collin Johnson’s night will be remembered for his second quarter fumble loss, he had a terrific night overall, catching seven passes for 83 yards. If he continues to play well, not only will he make the roster, but he could also provide some value as a red-zone target in the regular season.
Richie James caught three passes for 44 yards alongside a nice TD from Tyrod Taylor in the second quarter. James is a gimmicky type player who could be used a lot as a returner and/or deep threat due to his speed.
For running backs, there was a lot to like from Gary Brightwell, Antonio Williams and Jashaun Corbin. Brightwell performed quite well in the first half, rushing from 40 yards seven times, running the ball hard. On top of that, Brightwell also caught two passes for 19 yards.
As for Corbin, he played an excellent dual-threat defender, catching five passes for 28 yards, while running the ball six times for 23 yards.
However, one player who really shone was Antonio Williams, who signed with the New York Giants this offseason after spending the last two years with the Bills. In his first game with the Giants, Williams threw the ball nine times for 61 yards and a touchdown.
