Jaxson Dart shines again, a key position battle is decided, and other takeaways from the Giants’ dominant win over the Patriots

The New York Giants cap off their impressive preseason with a dominant win over the New England Patriots, these are the key takeaways you must know.

Joe DeLeone — NFL News Writer
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This preseason for the New York Giants just felt different. On Thursday night, the Giants achieved an undefeated record with a dominant 42-10 victory over the New England Patriots.

The energy in the air at MetLife Stadium was electric, and optimism from the fans is at an all-time high. While every NFL fan understands an unblemished preseason record means nothing for the regular season, the Giants’ attention to detail and execution in the preseason are something they haven’t had in some time.

Let’s take a look at the key takeaways from the win.

Dart caps his preseason with a strong finish

Dart’s final stat line through three games was fantastic. He finished completing 32 of 47 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns. While his completion percentage and passing yardage weren’t gaudy from this game, he did string together a fantastic opening drive that was capped off with a touchdown to Greg Dulcich.

On that first drive, Dart did many of the same things that have impressed Giants fans through this preseason. He was decisive and aggressive in attacking the Patriots’ secondary. The remaining drives he was on the field stalled quickly due to frustrating drops by Beaux Collins and Jalin Hyatt.

Dart also nearly fumbled on a long rush but was saved by a defensive penalty. His unwillingness to slide has been a large topic of conversation throughout the preseason, and it caught up to him on that play. Due to the contact he took on that particular play, he was required to head to the medical tent to check for concussion symptoms. Head coach Brian Daboll pulled the rookie aside to let him know he needed to be more careful.

Defensive line continues to look scary good

It’s no hot take to say the Giants’ defensive line is loaded. Their depth and youth showed up and showed out against the Patriots’ offensive line. They allowed 109 rushing yards and generated several pressures on quarterback Ben Wooldridge.

The speed at which they collapsed the pocket made the game a nightmare for Wooldridge, who completed only 50% of his passes for a measly 82 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Early in the first quarter, we got another pleasant reminder that rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter is a heat-seeking missile.

The defensive line remains the central bright spot that Giants fans can lean into as a driving force for the team’s success. The secondary also deserves some love, especially for the pick-six that T.J. Moore took back to the house.

Cor’Dale Flott clearly won the job

Last week, Flott had an impressive pass breakup against New York Jets star wide receiver Garrett Wilson. He followed that up with two fantastic coverage reps in the first quarter.

Again, it’s the preseason, but the highlight plays that Flott has generated have been impressive. With his limited playing time, Flot has been disruptive and sticky in coverage. Banks’ lack of availability has made the battle frustrating to gauge, but he didn’t play nearly as well as Flott.

It seems the Giants’ coaching staff and front office are no longer giving first-round picks short leashes. This should apply to Banks, as Flott clearly has improved.

Before the page turns to the Giants’ Week 1 matchup against the Washington Commanders, they must trim their roster. Stay tuned to find out which players make the final 53-man roster in the coming days.

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