The New York Giants looked awful Saturday against the Buffalo Bills in their second preseason game. They lost 21-0 and finished with 64 net yards passing.
On first glance, without film review, here’s who was up and who was down. As you can imagine, a quarterback made the list.
UP
LB Jonathan Casillas. He perfectly diagnosed an end around for a loss early in the contest. He later had good coverage on Bills running back LeSean McCoy deep downfield and was credited with a pass defended. Casillas even added a special-teams tackle to complete a solid first half. The veteran linebacker has solidified himself as a key piece to the Giants' defense and a respected leader on the team. He seems destined at this point to be their only three-down linebacker.
DT Louis Nix III. The stats don’t show it, but Nix was getting some good, consistent penetration in the second half. He was in the backfield on several plays. After a slow start to training camp, Nix has really picked it up in the preseason and is making a strong push for a roster spot at a position of need. The Giants need depth at defensive tackle.
WR Tavarres King. He’s the only wide receiver in the fight for one of the last few spots on the roster to do much of anything Saturday afternoon. King worked some with the first-team offense and made a nice catch on a low throw from Eli Manning for an 8-yard gain. He also made a nice adjustment on an underthrown deep ball from Ryan Nassib to make an acrobatic grab, even if it was ruled out of bounds because he couldn't get his second foot down. King did the most of all the receivers on the bubble to prove he deserves a roster spot.
DOWNS
Offensive line. This encompasses all the offensive linemen, from the first team to the third. It has now been two games in a row the unit has proved vulnerable. The first-team unit had too many penalties against the Bills, too many breakdowns and couldn't create any space for the running backs. There was concern about the offensive line all offseason, and it’s only growing after seeing the product on the field in the preseason.
TE Larry Donnell. The offensive line was not alone. The Giants' tight ends didn’t effectively do their jobs during a first half in which New York ran for 10 yards on eight carries. Donnell was the biggest offender. He completely whiffed on at least two blocks, and had several other unsuccessful attempts. He also didn’t have a reception or a target. It was a rough afternoon for Donnell.
QB Ryan Nassib. The concern after Nassib played poorly in the first preseason game against the Dolphins was that it would carry over into the second game. It appeared that way when he had a tough week of practice, and was validated when he struggled badly against the Bills. Nassib again didn’t look comfortable in the pocket, showed a lack of awareness and struggled with his accuracy. He finished a woeful 2-of-12 passing for 25 yards and a lost fumble. The Giants have to at least be close to questioning whether they even have a capable backup at this point.
LB Keenan Robinson. The offseason acquisition was trying to work his way back into the middle-linebacker mix after being slowed by a leg injury. Robinson had six tackles -- one for a loss -- and even snuck in some first-team work. But he allowed tight end Charles Clay to slip behind him in coverage for a 59-yard gain. That can’t happen in his first quarter on the field for the Giants. Pass coverage is supposed to be Robinson’s strength. He also missed a tackle and was flagged for a face mask. This isn’t the kind of film that’s going to earn him a starting spot, or even a roster spot. Let's hope he was just knocking off the rust.
