As popular and unique as our ‘Kudos & Wet Willies’ game review is, I recognize that the immediacy of it can sometimes lead to players being missed — postively or negatively — and that sometimes initial impressions without the benefit of a game replay can by misleading.
In the past, when time has allowed, I have tried to post some thoughts once there has been an opportunity to look at the All-22. That is what I am going to do today, giving some thoughts on what I saw while reviewing the New York Giants-Minnesota Vikings preseason game.
I will do this whenever I can. As I always remind readers, I am not a scout. I cannot break down Xs and Os the way Chris Pflum and Nick Falato can, and I will not try. These might be more considered more generic impressions. I’m not going to cut clips, though I may use one or two from other places.
Since this was a preseason game and playing time was divided, I will break this into first and second half categories.
First half
- Something I have said many times over the years is that as much as I like linebacker Micah McFadden, when I watch games I feel like I see plays McFadden is in position to make and can’t, or plays that need to be made that McFadden can’t quite get to. I thought I saw three of those in the first half against Minnesota, including the 18-yard run on the first play of the game.
- At first blush after Saturday’s game, I wanted to be critical of nose tackle Josh Tupou. After reviewing the game, I understand how he received a nearly elite 89.5 Pro Football Focus grade. Tupou was stout at the point of attack, with the exception of one play I saw where he got turned sideways.
- Defensive back Nic Jones didn’t help his case for a roster spot by getting driven back about 10 yards trying to block on a kickoff return by Deonte Banks.
- There was a weird-looking incomplete bubble screen by Jaxson Dart Saturday. I couldn’t understand why he spun all the way around to throw the ball until I saw how awful the shotgun snap from Bryan Hudson was.
- On the play where Dart pulled the ball down and was sacked (not the big hit) I still believe he had an opportunity to deliver the ball to Isaiah Likely. Throw that ball on time and Likely might take a hit, but it’s probably a first down instead of a sack.
- The best thing about Sisi Mauigoa’s game? He was barely noticeable, which is exactly what you want.
- John Harbaugh said after the game that Cam Skattebo was getting closer to the player he saw on film last year. Skattebo ran hard, and was his typical, aggressive self.
- Want to know how Kayvon Thibodeaux and Chauncey Golston are going to get on the field? There were a lot of four-man fronts on Saturday with Golston functioning as a defensive end.
- I hadn’t noticed it live, but the sack Darius Alexander had came on a play where the defensive tackle dropped into coverage and then came up to the line when Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy started to move around.
Second half
- Brandon Allen was as awful on tape as I thought he was live. He never saw the linebacker on his first interception, and never should have thrown the ball on the second. There is a reason why the Giants signed veteran quarterback Jake Haener.
- After Allen’s interception, journeyman defensive tackle Leki Fotu made back-to-back nice plays. He was largely responsible for stuffing a run up the middle. Then, Fotu sniffed out a screen pass, dropped to the receiver, and batted the ball away with his left hand.
- On a sack of Allen in the third quarter, left guard Daniel Faalele and left tackle J.C. Davis were both beaten.
- Faalele did not look good. Evan Neal looked OK.
That’s what I’ve got. I didn’t get to watch much of the fourth quarter, but this gives you an idea what I did see.