The New York Giants and New England Patriots faced off tonight in Week Three of the 2021 NFL preseason. The New England Patriots came out victorious. FINAL SCORE: 22-20.
Key stats and takeaways
New York Giants
- QB Daniel Jones: 17/22, 135 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- WR Damion Willis: 3 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD
- LB Trent Harris: 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack
The New York Giants’ starters played the first half of tonight’s game. Daniel Jones got his first action of the preseason and turned in a very Daniel Jones performance. He had some nice plays, including a Danny Dime down the seam to Kaden Smith for a 23-yard touchdown. But Jones also struggled to keep the ball out of harm’s way, throwing a terrible interception in the red zone.
Tight end Evan Engram picked up a calf injury and was out for the rest of the game. The severity of the injury is currently unknown. Wide receiver Darius Slayton also suffered an injury. Neither injury is believed to be significant, though the team will undoubtedly be cautious with two of its starters on offense.
The Giants’ defense enjoyed a number of impressive individual performances. Blake Martinez had an incredible interception deep downfield. Dexter Lawrence also got a sack and a tackle for loss. The starters seem to be picking up where they left off from last season. The reserve defenders also turned in some decent performances.
Trent Harris, who has had a great summer competing for a roster spot, continued his positive trend with a nice performance on Sunday. Harris totaled 4 tackles with a sack and a tackle for loss. Rookie sixth-round pick Rodarius Williams also capped off an excellent summer with an impressive performance today. The rookie looked good in tight man coverage and had 4 sacks and a pass breakup.
The Giants’ running game was efficient as the backs totaled 96 yards on 22 attempts (4.4 avg). Fullback Elijah Penny led the team with 35 yards on 4 carries.
The New York Giants offensive line was a major topic of discussion during today’s game. The Giants let up 4 sacks in today’s contest. Daniel Jones was under constant pressure during the first half. Tackles Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart struggled in pass protection and put their quarterback in harm’s way more than once today.