The New York Giants are 1-0 in the preseason after a strong 34–25 win over the Buffalo Bills on the road on Saturday afternoon.
Head coach Brian Daboll made the decision to play the starters on Saturday — a major shift from his previous preseason strategies.
This gave fans a close look at the Giants’ new-and-improved roster, which features upgraded talent through both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
Jaxson Dart made a strong first impression
Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart stole all the headlines with his dazzling performance in his preseason debut.
He went 12-of-19 passing for 154 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions with a 106.0 passer rating. He also added 24 yards on three carries with a longest run of 19 yards (he led the team in rushing yards).
Daboll described him as “Efficient, effective, aggressive, confident in the pocket.”
The highlight of the day came in the second quarter when Dart threw a strike under pressure to Lil’Jordan Humphrey for a 28-yard touchdown on third and five. The moment demonstrated Dart’s poise and aggression.
JAXSON DART FIRST TD PASS IN THE NFL.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey on the other end!
Watch on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/afUQ8Ijt59— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2025
The Giants’ rookies came to play
Dart wasn’t the only Giants rookie who turned heads on Saturday.
No. 3-overall pick Abdul Carter also garnered attention with his strong play. He was on the field for only six snaps and pass-rushed on three of those snaps. He recorded three pressures on three pass-rushing snaps for a 100% pass-rush win rate.
Fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow also turned in a strong performance. He began his day as the second-string right tackle but saw extended playing time throughout the day at both right tackle and left tackle. Mbow held up strong in pass protection and had some impressively violent moments as a run blocker, too.
Thomas Fidone II had a couple of athletic grabs that should help him in his quest to make the final roster. The seventh-round tight end out of Nebraska finished the day with three receptions on three targets for 22 yards and a two-point conversion.
Deonte Banks is still struggling to turn his head around
The Giants are still waiting for 2023 first-round pick Deonte Banks to break out. Banks had his flashy moments as a rookie, but regressed severely in year two of his career.
After playing the entire first half in the Giants’ first preseason game, it is clear now that Banks is in an open competition for the starting cornerback job. And, after failing to turn his head around and make a play on a deep ball downfield, it is also clear that this competition is far from over.
The offensive line held up
The Giants’ four quarterbacks dropped back to pass a whopping 51 times on Saturday. And yet, the offensive line did not surrender a single sack.
Although it is only the preseason, this is an incredibly encouraging sign of change for the Giants’ offense. Their offensive line has been their kryptonite for years now, but this performance was a step in the right direction.
The Giants have depth in their running back room
Rookie fourth-round RB Cam Skattebo did not suit up on Saturday, but starting second-year RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. did, as well as veteran RB Devin Singletary.
In addition to the regulars, the Giants gave carries to Dante “Turbo” Miller and Jonathan Ward. Their running back room is deep, and Miller was the standout.
He finished the game with 102 yards from scrimmage (22 yards rushing and a team-leading 80 receiving yards on seven receptions). Miller made a strong case as he fights for a roster spot.
Defensive depth could be an issue
Although the Giants are happy to walk away with a win in the first preseason game, the execution wasn’t necessarily flawless. Their defense surrendered 25 points to the Buffalo Bills’ backup offense.
Mitch Trubisky threw a touchdown pass, and Mike White threw two touchdown passes. The Bills’ three quarterbacks threw for a combined 27-of-38 passing with a 9.0 average and a 125.0 rating.
The Giants’ defense was lost at times in coverage. At other times, they struggled to bring down ballcarriers, with missed tackles plaguing the defense.