No one saw this coming from Giants QB Jaxson Dart and other takeaways from New York’s preseason win vs the Buffalo Bills
Giants QB Jaxson Dart surprises in his NFL preseason debut and other key takeaways from New York’s first game of the 2025 season vs the Buffalo Bills
The New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills in their 2025 preseason opener 34-25. While a preseason victory doesn’t mean much, today’s game produced a plethora of positive plays that have Giants fans buzzing.
From the fantastic debut of rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart to the immediate disruption by rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter, the Giants impressed in several areas. Of course, preseason performance must be taken with a grain of salt. Regardless, there are a number of takeaways that should incite optimism in the Giants’ young core.
Jaxson Dart shines in his preseason debut
My point of emphasis all week was that Dart just needed to create one to two splash plays that he could build upon for his progression. He completely blew that expectation out of the water.
After Russell Wilson led the Giants’ first drive, Dart stepped in for most of the first half. He finished the day going an efficient 12/19 for 154 yards and 1 touchdown. He also rushed for 24 yards on three attempts while taking zero sacks.
There were a few rookie mistakes, including a near interception on a tipped pass in the second quarter. What was impressive was how easily Dart bounced back from that near turnover. He followed it up with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey along the sideline that required precision to complete.
Overall, Dart looked the part. He remained poised in the face of pressure and flashed great accuracy and decisiveness. We shouldn’t completely overreact to one preseason game against mostly backups, but establishing confidence as a rookie is a very underrated layer of a young quarterback’s development. Hopefully, we get to see him face a team’s starter later in the preseason.
The front seven is as good as advertised
The Giants’ starting front seven saw limited reps against the Bills’ offensive line, but the first few series showed how dangerous they could be. Linebacker Micah McFadden set the tone early with a massive hit on Ray Davis to force an incompletion.
The most significant buzz from today surrounded how dominant rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter was against the Bills’ starting left tackle, Dion Dawkins.
Carter and the whole Giants starting defensive line quickly collapsed the pocket on what felt like every passing down they were on the field.
Which backups could be risers?
Heading into a preseason game, you never know which backups could pop off for productive days. The most impressive players in this game against Buffalo were wide receiver Montrell Washington and running back Dante Miller.
Miller finished the game with 22 rushing yards on 10 carries, but had seven receptions for 80 yards. On the Giants’ first unofficial depth chart, he was listed as the fourth running back coming into the game. He’s likely a cut candidate because of the stacked list ahead of him. A game like today should help his case for making the team.
Washington has generated a ton of recognition during training camp, which carried over early today. He finished with three receptions for 60 yards and the Giants’ longest reception of 29 yards. Right now, Washington is listed as the third slot receiver behind Wan’Dale Robinson and Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Like Miller, he has a way to make the team, but today’s game could boost his chances.
The secondary lacks depth
With all of the positives, the most glaring negative from the game was how poorly the Giants’ secondary played after the second quarter. A handful of blown coverages led to huge chunk plays for the Bills.
This 58-yard reception to Tyrell Shavers right before the end of the half, which led to a field goal, is a prime example of that.
The Giants’ run defense was incredibly stout, only allowing 58 yards on 15 carries for an average of 3.9 yards per carry. Conversely, the secondary allowed Bills quarterbacks to complete 71% of their passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns.
If the Giants suffer any injuries in their secondary this year, they could encounter serious problems.
Overall, today’s victory felt like a breath of fresh air after past preseason blunders. There’s still a lot to work on, but there were enough nice plays to excite Giants fans.
