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Giants Edge Rush Dominates, Offense Struggles Without Malik Nabers in Joint Practices vs. Jets
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- Giants Edge Rush Dominates, Offense Struggles Without Malik Nabers in Joint Practices vs. Jets
The New York Giants and New York Jets held joint practices on Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of their annual preseason matchup on Saturday at MetLife Stadium .
The two practices allowed both teams to work on game situations in a controlled environment that they wouldn't get in a preseason game.
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"I thought we started off fast in seven-on-seven, and I thought the first period there, we had a couple plays that we'd like to have back that you can learn from," said Giants head coach Brian Daboll. "I thought there was some good, and I thought there were some things we could correct. I thought that on the defensive side, I thought that in the kicking game. It was a good practice. We got a lot out of it."
It's unknown at this time how many starters will play on Saturday, but here are three takeaways from the joint practice sessions.
Giants edge rushers got better of Jets offensive line
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
What stood out most during the joint practices was that the Giants defensive line, especially their edge rushers, got the better of the Jets offensive line. Abdul Carter , Brian Burns , and Kayvon Thibodeaux gave the Jets line fits as they were able to blow past the tackles and get into the backfield.
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If this were a game situation, Big Blue would've had several sacks on Jets quarterback Justin Fields . Many believe that with the addition of Carter, who appears destined for greatness, the Giants front seven could be the best in the NFL. If they perform in the regular season the way they performed this week, those expectations will be validated.
Giants offense struggled early without Malik Nabers
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Giants held out star wide receiver Malik Nabers from the practice sessions due to a toe injury, and his absence was greatly felt as the offense struggled without him, particularly on Tuesday.
In Tuesday's practice, Russell Wilson completed less than 50% of his passes and was sacked several times, while the offensive line committed a couple of holding penalties. Although the offense performed better at the end of practice, their early struggles were glaring and showed how valuable Nabers is to the offense.
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The team may have held him out for precautionary measures, but he's been dealing with lingering toe issues that have kept him out of practice before. Nabers' health will be something to monitor as the season opener approaches.
Deonte Banks struggled covering Garrett Wilson
Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
After being the only defensive starter to play the entire first half of the preseason game against the Buffalo Bills , Deonte Banks struggled mightily covering Jets receiver Garrett Wilson on Tuesday. At one point, Wilson caught three passes in a row against the third-year corner.
Although Wilson is one of the most talented receivers in the league, the Giants took Banks with the 24th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft to be able to cover receivers of Wilson's caliber. Banks probably has the edge over Cor'Dale Flott to be the starting corner opposite Paulson Adebo , but that's only because Flott has missed several practice sessions with an injury.
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Banks did not practice on Wednesday, and you have to wonder if he'll see significant playing time again on Saturday. The corner position opposite Adebo was a concern entering camp, and it remains one of the team's biggest question marks.
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