It made sense for coach Brian Daboll to not put all of his defensive starters on the field for Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Lions at MetLife Stadium.
All except one.
Deonte Banks starting at cornerback was a surprise.
Banks is the only proven cornerback on the team, and as a second-year player, he’s close to being the most valuable member of the team.
He played nearly every snap with the first team in training camp and was an active participant during the two days of joint practice with the Lions.
However, he played in two series while other players in his position did not.
Daboll explained that all of the rookies played in the game, as did nearly all of the second-year players.
Cordale Flott, one of the young cornerbacks the Giants are hoping to break into the starting lineup, was not in uniform because he was sidelined with a quadriceps issue.
Flott was likely to play significant minutes as he looked to maintain his place in the first team and fend off the challenge of Nick McLeod.
McLeod did not play in the match, despite taking part in the pre-match warm-ups.
“Nick’s got a lot of experience. He’s played a lot of special teams,” Daboll said. “I wanted to see some of our younger guys play.”
Veteran cornerback Tre Herndon intercepted a pass from Nate Sudfeld late in the second quarter, but was batted down and fumbled the ball after a 35-yard return.
Rookie running back Dante “Turbo” Miller had runs of 9 and 19 yards in the second half.
Miller led the Giants with 63 yards on 12 rushes, while rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. ran five times for 26 yards.
The Giants gained 155 yards on the ground, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt, and their second-unit offensive line looked more competent than in years past.
Benton Whiteley, a third-year linebacker from the College of Holy Cross, threw a pass to Sudfeld on fourth down from the Giants’ 3-yard line late in the game, forcing an incomplete pass.
The Giants defense recorded four sacks and stopped the Lions on fourth down four times.
When the measurement was called on fourth down in the third quarter, there was no chain gang running down the field.
The game marked the first time the NFL has tested a new electronic ball-spotting system for use this preseason, with the laser technology potentially being introduced for the 2025 season.
The league plans to test the system this summer during a preseason game between the Giants and Jets at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants unveiled their new midfield sign, featuring the iconic “ny” helmet stretching from one 42-yard line to the opposite 42-yard line.
Blue helmets with red stripes and a white “ny” were used at various points in the team’s 99-year history.
