The New York Giants had a blast on Thursday night against the New England Patriots.
There were sideline celebrations galore, with frontline players who were sitting out the game enjoying the exploits of the guys on the field excelling as they competed for remaining roster spots.
There was a lot of Jameis Winston being the lovable, goofball Jameis Winston. And bringing the other Giants quarterbacks along for the ride.
Of course, it is easy to have fun on a night when you outscore your opponent, 42-10. Which is what the Giants did on Thursday against the Patriots.
The Giants had a lot of fun throughout the preseason. They went 3-0. They scored at least 30 points in all three victories. They outscored the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and New England Patriots 107-47.
There were moon balls and pick sixes to celebrate, and an impressive rookie quarterback to drool over.
Yes, a good time was had by all in the Giants universe.
Even the talking heads are suddenly excited about the Giants.
The Giants, with an over/under of a modest 5.5 victories in 2025 according to most Las Vegas oddsmakers, may have raised expectations with their preseason.
Per CBS Sports:
“ … a point differential of 60 seems to be the magic number when trying to figure out if a team’s preseason success will translate to the regular season.
The Giants are the eighth team since 2009 to finish a preseason with a point differential of +60 or more, and of the seven previous teams, SIX of them made the playoffs, including two teams that went on to win the Super Bowl. “
Maybe what the Giants have done this month makes them feel better, improves their belief and confidence in each other.
Maybe.
None of it counts for anything, though. The games that matter begin Sept. 7 in Landover, Md. against the Washington Commanders. A brutal schedule considered measurements of both opponents’ 2024 win percentage and 2025 expected win percentage as the toughest in football awaits.
I asked Giants head coach Brian Daboll on Friday if we could expect to see all those good vibes carry over into the regular season. He said that it “doesn’t really matter.”
“I’d say this is a week-to-week league. Each week, you have to be ready to go and be at your best and the challenge in games is when you do get knocked down or you’re down 10 points, how are you going to respond?,” Daboll said. “The guys were playing well. I was happy about the veterans that did not play that were into the game, that were helping the other guys, communicating on the sideline, which is the most important thing but then showing some support for those guys when they did well.”
Daboll underst ands the 3-0 preseason record, fancy statistics in generated and the good feelings the Giants created in August will be forgotten next month if things don’t go well at the beginning of the season.
“This season or this game is a week-to-week game, so we have to put everything we got into it for each week and one week doesn’t carry over to the next week just like one season doesn’t carry over… It doesn’t really matter,” Daboll said. “The only thing that matters is your preparation and ultimately how you perform the one time a week you do play a game.”
Veteran right tackle Jermaine Eleumunor also warned recently that the preseason did not guarantee anything.
“You don’t win any Super Bowls in the preseason,” he said.
No, you don’t.
Is there a way to decipher what is real from is not in the preseason?
“Our focus is on, are you executing your responsibility at a high level? It’s not a bunch of schematic type things that are new for that particular week. It’s some things maybe you’re showing that you’re not going to show in the regular season or some of that strategy there but really what you’re looking (for) from the players when they step out on the field is are they playing up to the standard,” Daboll said. “Like being disciplined. Are they doing the things they need to do to help the offense, the defense, the kicking game be successful? And if you’re executing your responsibility, regardless of was it vanilla coverage or they didn’t do… Whatever it may be, are you tackling well? Are you improving in your tackling? Are you running to the football on defense? Are you getting ball disruption, pass defenses? Are you catching the ball when it’s thrown to you? Are you reading the play the right way when you’re a running back and gaining yards after contact? Are you making the proper decision at the quarterback position and throwing the ball where it needs to be, on time, in rhythm? Are your combination blocks going to the right linebackers? All those things.”
The preseason has certainly been fun for the Giants. Will a fun regular season follow?
Maybe. Maybe not.
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