Should The New York Giants Be Excited By Rookie QB Kyle Lauletta?

Aug 9, 2018; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Kyle Lauletta (17) throws a pass during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

New York Giants‘ rookie quarterback Kyle Lauletta finished the first preseason game of the season with an impressive six of nine completions for 48 yards. While those numbers don’t blow your socks off, it’s important to recognize it was his first NFL action and he looked poised and tempered.

Lauletta was known as an accurate, calm quarterback with Richmond, and he has clearly taken that narrative to the professional level. While his arm isn’t comparable to Davis Webb’s, his accuracy and ability to find receivers in traffic stands out.

The end of the first game against the Browns left fans in disarray in regard to Webb’s performance, but Lauletta offered optimism and hope for the future. Now, we can’t let one ‘preseason’ game define the rest of Webb’s career, as after the game he admitted he was a bit too excited and nervous. The immense amount of pressure on the second-year passer’s shoulder will only continue to weigh down upon him, but next week’s game against Detroit will offer a chance at redemption.

Some might say the difference in performances between the two signal callers brings Lauletta every closer to the No.2 spot behind Eli Manning. That idea should be struck down before it becomes a serious discussion. Webb has spent over a year learning and following Manning around like a puppy dog, and it has earned him the opportunity to succeed him – whether it be due to injury or retirement.

Just how good was Kyle Lauletta for the New York Giants last Thursday?

Kyle wasn’t only impressive with his mentality and calmness, but his ability to find receivers in stride and give them the best opportunity to catch the ball was on full display. On one throw, he found Amba Etta-Tawo on a deep ball that was ultimately called for a pass interference. Then, a gorgeous pass to Roger Lewis Jr. that was gently dropped between the corner and safety.

Lauletta managed the game well, not taking unnecessary risks – Webb on the other hand made some questionable throws.

“He’s very calm, and I think he finds a way to make plays. He had a nice deep ball down the sideline to Amba [Etta-Tawo] that ended up being a [pass interference],” coach Pat Shurmur said. “I [think] he’s got a calm presence about him. I think he lost control of the clock once, we got the ball snapped, but those are all things you learn when you’re playing. So, it wasn’t a bad performance to start out for him.”

Both quarterbacks are vastly difference in all facets of the game, but the one thing that drives both is the want to succeed. The Giants might have two young, developing quarterbacks behind Manning, but it could be much worse, could it not?