WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE
*Hours before kickoff, guard Shane Lemieux was placed on injured reserve. Matt Skura, who has started 52 of the 57 regular-season and postseason games in which he’s played, was signed off the practice squad to replace him. In addition, the Giants elevated wide receiver/kickoff returner C.J. Board and tight end Chris Myarick from the practice squad to their game roster.
*With Lemieux out, the Giants shuffled their interior offensive line. Center Nick Gates, one of seven team captains for 2021, moved to left guard. Billy Price moved to center and made his first start for the Giants after being acquired in a trade with the Bengals less than three weeks ago. That left them with the following starting lineup: LT Andrew Thomas, LG Nick Gates, C Billy Price, RG Will Hernandez, RT Nate Solder.
*The Giants couldn’t have drawn it up any better on their first drive. Daniel Jones marched the team 79 yards on 11 plays, capped by a six-yard touchdown run by the quarterback. On the next drive, however, a gruesome injury brought the game to a halt. Gates suffered a lower leg fracture that required an air cast. The entire team surrounded Gates, who was seen smiling, before he was carted off the field. Ben Bredeson replaced him.
*Saquon Barkley, who set a franchise record with 279 yards from scrimmage in his last trip to FedExField in 2019, broke a 41-yard run in the first half. Earlier in the week, Barkley said “explosiveness” was not a problem coming off his much-anticipated return from injury in Week 1, when he had 10 carries for 26 yards. Thursday was his second game in five days after not playing in nearly a year.
*Jones was dangerous with his legs, rushing nine times for 95 yards with a long of 46 yards. Jones had 65 rushing attempts for 423 yards (6.5-yard average) last season, a franchise record for a Giants quarterback in the Super Bowl era. Pro Football Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton previously held the record with 306 yards in 1967. Jones completed 22 of 32 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown to Darius Slayton.
*TE Evan Engram missed his second consecutive game with a calf injury.
