Back in front of the home crowd
Saturday's game represented the team's first outing of the 2025 campaign at MetLife Stadium. With the number of new players added to the roster this offseason, it was also the first home game in front of Giants fans for a lot of the team, including Russell Wilson. The veteran has plenty of familiarity with the stadium, as it was there that he helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory back in February of 2014.
"Just to be back in this stadium – this stadium means a lot to me, to be honest with you," Wilson said. "I remember pulling up to the stadium just to remind myself that I've been here before and been successful here in this stadium before. So that feeling of winning a Super Bowl and then to put on the blue and white, to be in this stadium as a New York Giant is a tremendous honor.
"And so, I love doing it with our teammates, to do that and we're excited about the season. We're excited about where we can go. We've got a lot of work to do, but we're very capable of what we want to accomplish and so we've just got to keep our heads down and stay humble and hungry. But to be here in front of our fans was a true blessing and a lot of gratitude."
Joining Wilson as a member of the quarterback room making his MetLife Stadium debut as a Giant was Dart. The rookie shared his excitement about playing in front of Giants fans for the first time earlier in the week, and it sounds like his first home game exceeded his own expectations.
"It was sick," Dart said about his MetLife debut. "Going out there in warmups and just seeing the stadium before it got filled up and then feeling the energy of the crowd come in. I was happy with how many more Giants fans there were. I mean, I know it was a home game, but I was happy about that. Hopefully we can just continue to bring a lot of energy, bring home a lot of wins and get everybody excited about the season."
O-line 'has done a nice job'
One cannot mention the success of the offense these last two games without talking about the performance of the guys up front. Through the first two preseason games, the unit has really stepped up. Giants quarterbacks have attempted 89 passes and have been sacked only two times, while the offense has totaled 65 points and 874 yards. While the offense's success is a result of everyone playing together, Daboll did note the O-line "has done a nice job" so far this preseason.
Perhaps the most impressive offensive lineman thus far has been Marcus Mbow, as the rookie fifth-round pick put together another impressive outing on Saturday. Through two preseason games, Mbow has been on the field for 68 pass-blocking snaps and has surrendered zero sacks and three total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He's done this while lining up at both right tackle and left tackle, highlighting the rookie's positional versatility.
Adding even more significance to Saturday's game against the Jets was the fact that it was offensive lineman Evan Neal's first NFL game at guard. As we all know, Neal's shift inside from tackle was one of the big storylines surrounding the team this offseason. While Neal has shown some flashes during practice, this was his first true test at his new position, and according to PFF, he allowed only one pressure on 22 pass block snaps. His head coach said he saw some good signs from the young lineman on Saturday.
"He got some movement in the run game, did his assignments," Daboll said the day after the game. "(It was his) first game in there, played over 30 plays so we'll get him some more work this upcoming week."
While the starting offensive line has gotten a decent number of snaps together this preseason, the anchor of the unit has remained on the sidelines. Star left tackle Andrew Thomas is still on the Physically Unable to Perform List as he continues to rehab his way back from last year's foot surgery, but he continues to improve each day.
"Getting better, so we'll take it day by day and see where we're at," the head coach said on Sunday. "Each day he gets a little bit better, so we'll make that decision when we think it's best for us and him...
"He's on his rehab schedule and he's working hard to get back as quickly as he can."