Three wins from the Giants ’loss to the Patriots on the Giants’ 22-20 in their preseason finale.
1. With Adoree ‘Jackson holding on with an ankle sprain, debutant CB Rodarius Williams started alongside James Bradberry. Williams was tested in the first defensive series and had WR Nelson Agholor so well covered that Cam Newton was forced to throw the ball on the grass. In the third quarter, Williams pinned Isaiah Zuber in the end zone to force an incomplete. It looks like Williams, selected from the sixth round, has a closed spot.
2. Blake Martinez struggled last week in the first joint practice with the Patriots, repeatedly hit by RB James White on passing coverage, a difficult task for an inside defender. The Giants put Martinez on cover several times in that game and delivered with a sensational play, running to the bottom of the field with WR Jakobi Meyers, jumping with Myers and sliding the ball from Meyers for an interception to Cam Newton.
3. Saquon Barkley certainly had to swim in the 90 minutes before the game, running routes and taking passes in a warm-up. He ran smoothly, sometimes in a full sprint, and grabbed the ball effortlessly, while wearing a blue Giants cap to the sides. Now that the joint practices have passed, we expect the Giants to be more aggressive with Barkley in this week’s training sessions.