3 Takeaways From The Giants' Preseason Matchup Vs The Vikings

The New York Giants came up just short in their first preseason matchup, falling to the Minnesota Vikings 13-10. It was a game that the Giants appeared to have in control until midway through the third quarter. That was until third-string quarterback Brandon Allen came in and threw two interceptions costly interceptions. The Vikings turned one of these turnovers into a touchdown and ran away with the game. Despite the loss, there was a lot to take away. It was good to see the starters play a couple of drives and have draft picks like Jack Kelly have standout performances. Here are the three big takeaways.

Malachi Fields and Devin Singletary Need Bigger Roles

No two players stood out on offense like Malachi Fields and Devin Singletary. Arguably the two biggest plays of the day came from these two. During the Giants’ second drive on offense, Singletary caught a screen pass and broke off a 40-yard run to put the Giants inside the Vikings’ 15-yard line. Then two plays later, Fields jumped up and caught a 15-yard pass from Jaxson Dart for a touchdown. It may have only been one drive, but it did calm some of the concerns fans had about the offense.

While it’s just one game, both of them are showing they can handle a larger workload for the Giants. We always figured that Fields would eventually be a starter with the Giants trading up in the third round to get him. But after what he showed today- three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown- he should be a starter sooner than expected. Instead of just being a change-of-pace back, Singletary showed he can still be productive. While Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy should get the majority of the reps, the coaching staff should develop a package of plays that allows him to shine.

The Defensive Line Was Shaky

One of the biggest negatives in today’s game was the defensive line’s play. With the Giants having traded Dexter Lawrence this offseason, everyone is wondering how they would fill that production. Today did not bode well for his replacements. Sure, projected starters DJ Reader and Shelby Harris did not suit up. However, the second- and third-string guys did not inspire much confidence in the position’s depth. It felt like they were never able to generate any pressure, and had to rely on the secondary defenders to make tackles.

This is evident in the Giants’ run defense struggling. During the first half, it felt like every time a Vikings running back touched the ball, they were a lock for five yards. One of the biggest things Giants fans wanted to see was an improvement in their run defense. For years, teams have run all over them, and it’s one reason they have struggled. After this performance, it seems like more of the same. It is something that needs to be a focus in practice this week if the Giants want to go anywhere this season.

Costly Penalties Reared Their Ugly Head Again

One of the biggest problems the Giants had last season was costly penalties. They had 128 penalties called against them, which was the sixth most in the NFL. The hope was that bringing in an established coach like Harbaugh would instill discipline in the team and reduce penalties. But that was not the case in the first preseason game. They had seven penalties called against them, which allowed 45 yards. This does not include the several penalties that were declined or offset. These penalties were a big reason the Giants came up short.

The biggest example of these penalties costing the Giants was when the Vikings were in the red zone in the third quarter. During this drive, the defense was putting up a very impressive goal-line stand. It appeared that they were going to force the Vikings to kick a field goal, which would be a huge break for the Giants. The first one was a pass interference call against Kodi Black on third down that put the Vikings on the one-yard line. The second was also a pass interference call, this time against Art Green on 3rd & Goal. These penalties cost the Giants the lead and ultimately the game. It’s stuff that cannot happen during the regular season.