What to Expect in the New York Giants First Preseason Game
After the New York Giants crosstown rivals played last week to open up the NFL preseason, the Giants will play their first game of the 2023 season this week. This first game for the G-Men will be played at FedEx Field in Detroit against the Lions on Friday, August 11th.
What to Expect
In the first preseason game expect the Giants to play the majority of their starters for at least a possession or two. We didn’t see either the Cleveland Browns or New York Jets play any of their starters in the first game of preseason last week but it should be a different story for the bulk of NFL teams this week. With the exception of possibly Saquon Barkley, expect most of the starters to play for the Giants.
Word around training camp was that the Giants offense looked shaky against the Detroit Lions during a joint practice earlier in the week. Hopefully we can see the Giants shake off the rust in a real game scenario on Friday.
What to Watch for
There is a lot to watch for when it comes to the New York Giants in the preseason. Obviously, fans want to see the offense click and the defense play inspired football but there is a lot more that fans should watch for.
Look for the new weapon in town, tight end Darren Waller, to make an impact by creating mismatches and a big target for Daniel Jones. The Giants gave Daniel Jones elite quarterback money this offseason and to help him produce up to that level they needed to get him weapons as well. Waller is a great start and it would be nice to see him make an impact early on in his Giants’ career.
Other players to watch include new wide receiver Paris Campbell who has been making some serious noise in training camp along with the rookie speedster Jalin Hyatt who was drafted early in the third round out of Tennessee. These receivers, along with the Giants’ first-round pick cornerback Deonte Banks, should be fun to track to see if they can make an impact come the regular season.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, we are excited to see the Giants back on the field following their best season since 2016. There are high hopes for this team and the talent on this roster compared to just last year seems greater. Keep an eye out for new players who may make an impact on Friday and the veterans to take a step up.
By Jack Stradley, I’m a sports writer always looking for a gripping story and a hot take.