New York Giants Preseason Week 2: Risers and Fallers
Following a productive week of joint practices in Cleveland, the New York Giants put together an encouraging well-rounded display on game day against the Browns. But despite their efforts, the Giants still came up short 17-13.
Sunday marked a big day in the evaluation process for both the offensive and defensive backup units as the team begins to solidify critical decisions with their final 53-man roster. And although some players rose to the occasion and took full advantage of their opportunity, others fell short of the expectations set before them.
With that said, here are the ‘Risers’ and ‘Fallers’ following the Giants showdown with the Browns on Sunday:
Risers
Defensive Back/Receiver Matt Cole
When assessing the positives from the Giants' preseason performance against the Browns, there’s plenty that stood out. But when it comes to finalizing important roster decisions, versatility is an influential asset that’s always factored in the decision-making process, something that Cole put on full display against the Browns.
From start to finish, Cole embraced every opportunity he could lay his hands on, whether it was for the defensive secondary, where he played 20 snaps after finding out just the night before of the coaches’ plan for him to get some defensive snaps, or for the special teams unit, where he played nine snaps (he also had five snaps on offense).
After finishing the day with a tackle on defense, Cole also collected two more tackles for the special teams unit and added a 15-yard kickoff return in the third quarter.
Before his arrival on this Giants team, Cole was a wide receiver who had experience playing with the 49ers and the Jets. However, he has proven to be a man of many talents with a sharp understanding of the game on all fronts, illustrating that firsthand against the Browns.
Head coach Joe Judge was very pleased with Cole’s performance after the game. “ He has been the guy since he got here. Whether special teams, offense or defense, he just says, ‘Yes sir’ and goes out there and plays 100 percent,” Judge said.
Although Cole is still up against a lot of talent, his versatility provides him an edge others don’t have. After logging in a good performance against the Browns in a selfless, team-first way that Judge no doubt appreciates, Cole has made his case as to why he deserves a spot on this team.
Defensive Lineman David Moa
Moa has been on the steady rise all summer and only reinforced that reality with his impressive output against the Browns.
Following a performance against the Jets that saw him record four tackles and a forced fumble, Moa built off his previous success by collecting six total tackles and one forced fumble against the Browns.
The Giants have been looking to fortify their pass rush and bolster the run defense from its front four, and Moa, through two preseason games, has helped with that regard.
According to Pro Football Focus, he has six pressures in two preseason games, five of those coming against the Browns’ solid offensive line depth. Those six pressures tie Moa with fellow defensive lineman Raymond Johnson III for the team lead this summer.
If that’s not enough to be impressed with the job done by Moa so far, he’s tied with linebacker Carter Coughlin for the team lead in stops for zero or negative yardage (six) and is tied for second on the team with linebacker Devante Downs in total tackles (10).
On paper, the Giants' defensive line depth is deep and rich in talent, but if Moa continues to play as he has this summer, he could make things a little uncomfortable for, say, B.J. Hill at the bottom of the defensive line depth chart.
Linebacker Cam Brown
After not playing a single snap against the Jets, linebacker Cam Brown came out hungry against the Browns and delivered a strong preseason debut for the Giants.
Making appearances both on defense (10 snaps) and special teams (13 snaps), Brown finished the game with a total of three tackles, one as a linebacker and two as a member of the special teams unit, his two special teams tackles tying Cole for the team lead both this week and this summer.
What Brown brings in height and physicality at 6’5” and 223 pounds, he also brings in wingspan and athleticism. These key attributes give him a significant advantage when squaring up for tackles and pressing the line of scrimmage. Per Pro Football Focus, Brown is the second-highest ranked member of the Giants special teams unit this summer, behind Cole.
In particular, Brown’s special teams work is greatly valued by special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, who spoke glowingly of the former Penn State linebacker last week.
“Cam's just a unique individual. I told you guys last year that we expect a lot out of him because he has a lot to give. He's very talented, he's a rare bird. He's just different. He's a six-foot-five, 230-pound guy that can run like a deer,” McGaughey said.
“You don't see a lot of guys like that, so when you have that type of skill set he poses a problem to the opponent. A big, strong, long, smart football player who has ability and he's got young legs, so he can run all day. It's fun to coach him and we're excited to watch him play.”
Though it was only one preseason game, Brown likely solidified his spot on the Giants’ roster, where his versatility on defense and special teams is underrated but strongly appreciated.
Running Back Devontae Booker
After a forgettable showing against the Jets, Booker rebounded in a nice way against the Browns.
Following a game against the Jets where he only managed to secure three carries for 12 yards, Booker ran the ball six times for 27 yards and topped it off with a soaring, goal-line touchdown to put the Giants on the board in the first quarter.
Booker also reeled in both of the passes thrown his way for an additional 13 yards to go along with it. And if all that’s not enough to convince you that Booker had a nice night, he ran so hard that 17 of his 27 rushing yards came after contact.
Whether it was his deceivingly sharp cutbacks, his ground-and-pound resiliency, or his bursting speed, Booker just might have quelled concerns about why the Giants invested a two-year $5.5 million contract in his services to back up Saquon Barkley this season.
The Offensive Line
The most improved unit on the Giants from their first preseason game against the Jets to this week, the award goes to the offensive line.
Against the Jets, the Giants mustered only 92 total passing yards, allowed five sacks, and accumulated 105 yards on the ground with a 2.8 yards-per-carry average.
The unit, which sat all its starters against the Browns, looked significantly more cohesive than the previous week against the Jets when the starters got about 13 snaps.
Quarterbacks Mike Glennon and Brian Lewerke threw for a combined 194 yards and were kept upright through three quarters, the two sacks registered coming late in the fourth quarter (and one being a coverage sack).
In addition, the Giants ran for 120 yards with a 4.8 yards-per-carry average, a significant difference spearheaded by the improvement of the offensive line.
The offensive line is frequently looked upon as the lifeline of an offense. But this year, the meaning of that responsibility bares a much greater level of significance than in previous seasons for this Giants offensive line.
And after a great showing against a tough Browns defense, there’s plenty of reason to believe that this unit can provide just what the Giants offense needs from them this year.
In-Between
Outside Linebacker Oshane Ximines
Ximines could have easily gone into the Risers column based on his pass rushing production.
But because Ximines continues to struggle to set the edge against the run game, a flaw that the Giants can’t afford upfront.
He made a play in the red zone running down a scrambling QB on a third down, and in fact, got credit for a sack on this play when he was playing coverage and came up to make the tackle.
As a pass rusher, Ximines shows a lot of promise. This week, he recorded three quarterback hits and a sack, and was successful on a smidgen of other plays in getting within striking distance of the quarterback.
However, Ximines’ continued struggles in setting the edge against the run are what will likely keep him from ever developing into an every-down player that his talents suggest he’s capable of becoming.
The Browns, by the way, finished with 163 rushing yards on 25 carries with an average of 6.5 yards per attempt.
Fallers
Cornerback Sam Beal
Despite not appearing in the first preseason game against the Jets, Beal logged in a solid debut with four combined tackles on the day but didn’t have much to show for outside of that.
Granted a large portion of the cornerback duties throughout the game, Beal had a hard time containing his opponents and miscalculated his anticipation on key plays.
Towards the end of the second quarter, this came to life when Beal conceded a first down out-route throw to wide receiver Reshad Higgins when Beal seemed to lose awareness of where the first down marker was. He also appeared to miss an easy interception when he drifted away from the ball and let the receiver get in front of him for the reception.
Football is a game of inches, and minor imperfections can add up quickly. Beal’s lack of awareness combined with sloppy technique—he tied for the team lead this week with three missed tackles—makes him a raw talent who gives up too much cushion and takes questionable angles out there. There's a lot of work still to be done if the Giants are to salvage what they invested in him.
Defensive Back Chris Johnson
Alongside Julian Love, safety Chris Johnson was given a hefty portion of the snaps (43) against the Browns. And though he displayed some promising signs of life, Johnson misjudged key assignments while on duty, including a big one that led to the second Cleveland touchdown.
While approaching the line of scrimmage, Johnson overcommitted and lost leverage on running back John Kelly in the process, allowing Kelly to take advantage of his position and zoom to the outside corner virtually uncontested.
Johnson did suffer a leg injury while going after a loose ball in the second half but give him credit for shaking that off and returning to finish the game. Johnson has good size and speed and decent instincts in coverage, but his lack of physicality is a concern, as is his lack of consistency in making plays.
That said, Johnson has the potential to warrant a spot on the practice squad where some additional coaching could help smooth out some of these rough edges in his game.
Defensive Back Madre Harper
Before a groin injury knocked him out of the game, Harper had some serious struggles this week against the Browns.
Following a tenacious red zone pass breakup against Higgins early in the first quarter, he conceded the Browns' first touchdown to KhaDarel Hodge the very next play.
As the game progressed, Harper, who played most of his snaps in the box, struggled to maintain a strong grip on his opponents, at one time yielding a 14-yard reception on a 3rd-and-13 play late in the second quarter. The problem with Harper’s game here is that he allows too much space to receivers, doesn’t get as physical as you’d like to see, and lacks consistent anticipation and situational awareness.
Harper finished with a dismal 134.4 NFL rating in coverage and wasn’t that much better against the run where he had a missed tackle.
On special teams, which was thought to be the initial appeal of Harper, he’s had a relatively quiet summer, failing to record a tackle through two games.
The severity of Harper’s injury isn’t known, but it’s probably fair to say that Harper didn’t help his case for a roster spot with his showing against the Browns.
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