Orchard Park, N.Y. — The New York Giants gave veteran Russell Wilson the start against the Buffalo Bills in the preseason opener on Saturday.
The 36-year-old played just one drive before Giants coach Brian Daboll made the switch to rookie Jaxson Dart, who made a strong first impression.
Dart had little trouble moving the ball against the Bills’ defense. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 154 yards and one touchdown pass to receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey in the first quarter. Humphrey got separation while working against Bills cornerback Dane Jackson, who couldn’t recover in time to make a play on the ball.
Dart got into a good rhythm and was getting the ball out quickly, negating a strong performance from the Bills’ first-team defensive line. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver had a few pressures and had a batted-down pass. Veteran pass rusher Joey Bosa made his Bills debut and looked sharp off the edge.
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Buffalo Bills vs. New York Giants in NFL preseason: Aug. 9, 2025
There were a few concerning trends that continued for the Bills’ defense that struggled last season. The Giants converted on 5 of 7 third downs in the first half. The Bills struggled to tackle, too. Tre’Davious White had a few poor attempts, and second-year defensive back Te’Cory Couch whiffed badly on a short pass play, resulting in a 28-yard catch and run for Giants receiver Montrell Washington.
The Giants outlasted the Bills, 34-25, in a shootout.
Here are a few instant takeaways from the Bills’ preseason opener against the Giants.
Tyrell Shavers provides explosive plays
It’s been another productive summer for Shavers, who has been a training camp darling for the Bills the past two seasons. But the camp buzz hasn’t translated into big preseason success.
That changed on Saturday.
Shavers led all Bills receivers with a pair of catches for 70 yards. The big play came in the second quarter on a 58-yard bomb from backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky. The play set up a field goal right before half and would have gone for a touchdown if Trubisky was able to throw the ball a bit deeper.
Shavers had the most impressive day any receiver had during camp when he caught a long touchdown from Josh Allen on Day 10 of camp. Shavers’ big day against the Giants will likely alert the NFL world to his playmaking ability. If the Bills choose to cut him again after the preseason, another NFL team will likely sign him to their 53-man roster. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a Week 1 jersey on the Bills or elsewhere as he continues to make big plays.
Mitch Trubsiky vs. Mike White: Round 1
It was a pretty even duel between Trubisky and White. The battle for Allen’s backup seems to still be up for grabs as Trubisky led all Bills quarterbacks with 138 yards through the air and a touchdown pass.
Trubisky connected with tight end Dawson Knox off a nice play-action to give the veteran tight end an easy walk-in touchdown. Not to be outdone, White threw a pair of touchdowns. The first was a deep ball to speedy receiver K.J. Hamler, who beat his man to give White a wide-open target down the field. White had to navigate a heavy blitz from his left side, forcing him to roll out to his right. He stayed patient and located Hamler quickly before launching a perfect pass for the easy score.
White had a shaky start with a sack and a near interception, but he settled in and moved the ball on two scoring drives. Trubisky played it safe on the first two drives but started to push the ball down the field more once the Giants went to their backups. Trubisky’s ball to Shavers was the top highlight, but his off-balance strike to new receiver Josh Palmer was also impressive.
Rookie DTs impress
T.J. Sanders had one of the most disruptive pass-rush snaps of any Bills defensive linemen in the game. The issue was that Dart got rid of the ball quickly on a touchdown to Humphrey. Sanders put a nice inside speed move on his blocker and would have had a free shot on Dart if he had hung on to the ball for even a half second longer.
Deone Walker, the Bills’ fourth-round pick in April, was a big problem for the Giants’ offensive line. He had a pair of pressures and showed off his impressive get-off for his size. He had one pass rush that resulted in a batted-down pass as he was in the backfield before the quarterback had time to locate a receiver.
Ty Johnson shines with James Cook out
James Cook dressed for the Bills and participated in all the pregame warm-up work. But Cook watched from the sidelines as Ray Davis and Johnson got all the work in the first half.
Johnson got the offense going on the team’s first scoring drive with three carries for 26 yards. He was breaking tackles and moving the chains for the Bills. Cook’s contract standoff with the team seems to be ongoing. Johnson’s juice will likely be on display over the next few weeks as Cook’s team and the Bills continue contract talks.
Backup tight ends struggle
Zach Davidson had two dropped passes as the once-preseason darling had his worst game in a Bills uniform. The first drop was an underthrown deep ball from Trubisky, but Davidson has to find a way to make that catch as he fights for a spot on the 53. Rookie Jackson Hawes had a drop of his own on a short pass play from White. Hawes’s hands were a popular topic of discussion after he was drafted. He’s believed to be a high-level blocker, but his ability in the passing game has been a question.
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