The Giants' season has finally arrived! Saturday, August 14, the Giants face off against their hometown rivals, the New York Jets.
With this being the very first preseason game, there is an entire world of the unknown. This game is not going to be about scoring as much as possible, like the regular season, but it's going to be about who can make a big play while taking advantage of these precious reps.
Here are some of the things I'd watch out for tomorrow:
Daniel Jones' Connection With His Weapons
Kenny Golladay, the Giants' biggest free-agent acquisition, left practice earlier this week with a hamstring injury. After being given a timeline of 2-3 weeks before returning to practice, Golladay was seen doing light sprints on the side of the field yesterday. Likely, we will not see him in action this week, so we'll have to wait to see Jones' connection with him until later on.
The biggest connection I'd look for is Jones and Kadarius Toney, the Giants' first-round draft pick. Toney missed some practice earlier on in the offseason due to an apparent calf issue but has since been in full swing at practice. Toney reminds me of Dante Hall, the former Chiefs receiver. He's like a human joystick. Toney is elusive and slippery to defenders, and his speed reminds you of a Tyreek Hill. If Jones and Toney can show signs of solid chemistry, Daniel Jones may have just found his security blanket.
Jason Garrett's Re-worked Offensive Scheme
One complaint many Giants fans had after last season, was the lack of creativity on the offensive side of the ball. Some put most, if not all, the blame on Saquon Barkley's absence, but others, including myself, know that Jason Garrett is smart enough to think of a scheme more complex, even if Barkley is not there. Barkley will most likely not be playing this week because he is just being brought back to practice after his torn ACL.
With Barkley out, this gives Garrett the opportunity to show the Blue Blood what this offense is capable of without their star running back. Garrett needs to incorporate more passes downfield. Jones is the most accurate passer in all of the NFL of balls traveling more than 20 yards. This goes back to the connection between Jones and his weapons. If Jones shows his ability to connect with his receivers, Garrett may feel more comfortable forcing the ball downfield. Also, at the end of the day, this is preseason and Garrett should be testing these plays over and over again. We know this offense can play it conservatively, but the lack of explosion needs improvement and should be tested this preseason.
Judge vs. Saleh
Saleh, the first-year head coach for the Jets, will be facing Joe Judge for the first time this weekend. Saleh's defense produced Pro-Bowlers at nearly all of his defensive positions throughout his four-year run with the 49ers. The two won't face off on a regular basis (once every two years), but this new matchup will be one to keep an eye on, especially if these two each find success.
Of course, there will always be those players that pop unexpectedly. Here is the 1st unofficial depth chart and analysis.
A reminder that clubs must cut their roster down to 85 by 4 p.m. on August 17, which is next Tuesday. This game may be the last chance for a multitude of players.
