Best and worst performers vs. Lions
The New York Giants dropped their Week 1 preseason game against the Detroit Lions, 21-16, but head coach Brian Daboll felt like it was a productive evening.
The team’s rookie draft class played particularly well, although their undrafted rookies — at least most of them — left a bit to be desired.
Precious few starters appeared in the game, so it provided the Giants with a long look at the back end of their roster. It also provided the folks over at Pro Football Focus a first look and they’ve now handed out some grades.
Here are some of the highest and lowest PPF grades for the Giants in Week 1 of the preseason as well as a few other notable grades thrown in.
- WR Cole Beasley – 81.1
- WR Jamison Crowder – 80.8
- WR David Sills – 76.2
- OL Shane Lemieux – 74.5
- OL Sean Harlow – 72.4
It’s interesting to see three Giants receivers, and more specifically Beasley and Crowder, top the offensive grades. It reinforced what has already been said: the Giants have a problem at wide receiver and that’s a good thing.
- OL Wyatt Davis – 28.6
- OL Korey Cunningham – 37.0
- WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton – 46.6
- RB Matt Breida – 48.8
- OL Joshua Ezeudu – 51.5
There’s nothing here that’s going to come as a surprise. Davis, while playing out of position, and Cunningham were awful on Friday night. Ford-Wheaton also did himself no favors in a tightly-contested roster battle at wide receiver.
- S Jason Pinnock – 92.3
- LB Micah McFadden – 90.5
- S Alex Cook – 82.0
- LB Dyontae Johnson – 81.9
- S Dane Belton – 75.7
Pinnock dominated in five snaps and that is accurately represented in the PFF grades. Belton also had a good showing after two really impressive joint practices with the Lions.
- LB Cam Brown – 30.2
- CB Rodarius Williams – 31.0
- CB German Green – 42.4
- CB Zyon Gilbert – 48.3
- NT Donovan Jeter – 48.3
Brown and Williams bottoming out on this list seems fitting. Neither played good defensive football and that’s bad news for both as they’re battling for a roster spot. The grade on Green seems a bit harsh.
- CB Cor’Dale Flott – 77.6
- WR Collin Johnson – 77.2
- CB Jashaun Corbin – 73.8
- LB Cam Brown – 71.3
- LB Carter Coughlin – 69.6
Coughlin playing well on special teams will greatly increase his chances of sticking over Brown, who is a noted special teams stud. Coughlin also out-performed Brown at linebacker, so that’s something worth noting as we head into Week 2 of the preseason.
- WR David Sills – 42.9
- S Gervarrius Owens – 43.2
- CB Amani Oruwariye – 48.6
- LS Cameron Lyons – 49.3
- CB Zyon Gilbert – 49.7
Owens may have played well on defense but in order to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, the Giants are going to need more out of him on special teams. The same applies to the veteran, Oruwariye.
- QB Tommy DeVito – 59.4
- RB Eric Gray – 54.7
- OL John Michael Schmitz – 53.5
- CB Deonte Banks – 70.5
- CB Cor’Dale Flott – 65.1
- CB Darnay Holmes – 65.0
- CB Carter Coughlin – 63.3
- LB Tomon Fox – 60.8
- NT Joron Riley 54.3
- LB Oshane Ximines – 48.4
The grade for Riley seems a bit low. Ditto Fox. Both played well in their limited snaps and felt like genuine positives coming out of the game. Banks’ grade also reflects his solid preseason debut.
Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook
Original Source