The New York Giants came up inches short of a huge upset of the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night. The Giants remained competitive throughout the night, displaying fight and toughness. Regardless, they came up short dropping their record to a miserable one and five (1-5). There are no awards or trophies for trying hard and shutting down a legitimate Super Bowl contender. There were, however, five notable stand-out performances from Sunday Night.
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Linebacker Bobby Okereke
Linebacker Bobby Okereke was the best player on the field all night. Okereke continues to grow and gain confidence in the defense coordinated by Wink Martindale. Okereke finished the game with a team-leading eleven tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble. Giants fans have been waiting for years to have an impact linebacker and Okereke is living up to the bill (no pun intended).
His leadership and poise will only help elevate a defense that has been struggling up to this point. They did an admirable job shutting down the Bills for three full quarters and Okereke was one of the reasons why they were suffocating all night.
Offensive Linemen Justin Pugh
Justin Pugh, just signed to the Giants practice squad last week, immediately contributed on the offensive line. Pugh was elevated to the 53-man roster before the game and was plugged into the starting left guard position. The offensive line played with a spark with Pugh in the lineup, but plans immediately changed. Starting Left Tackle Joshua Ezeudu, filling in for Andrew Thomas, injured his toe early in the game forcing Pugh to move to left tackle.
There were mixed results early on, with a false start and two sacks allowed. However, the performance was admirable considering the circumstances. After missing most of last year with a torn ACL, Pugh settled in and added stability. The Giants need to avoid sending him back to the practice squad and sign him to their roster full-time.
Linebacker Micah McFadden
Linebacker Micah McFadden continues to get better in his second season. There are growing pains to be expected of a player who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. On tape, McFadden is an intelligent player who sometimes plays too aggressively, making his tackling an issue. In the first three games, McFadden missed seven tackles, which is a good recipe to see the bench. In his past two games, he’s only missed one tackle.
McFadden is developing into an impact linebacker. Against a powerhouse Bills offense, McFadden found himself around the ball frequently, recording a fumble recovery and an interception. McFadden, alongside Okereke, will be a strength for this Giants defense moving forward.
Cornerback Deonte Banks
Rookie first-round Cornerback, Deonte Banks, continues to shine. Wide Receiver Stefon Diggs had no success going up against banks, notching zero catches on three targets. Banks has held his own as a boundary corner under Martindale, building a lot of trust in the process. The interceptions are not falling into his hands yet, but he is providing adequate man coverage early on in his career. Lockdown potential is the ceiling for Banks, something the Giants need on defense.
Wide Receiver Jalin Hyatt
Three catches for 21 yards doesn’t stand out much, but the potential that wide receiver Jalin Hyatt brings deserves recognition. Hyatt had a 43-yard catch negated by a questionable penalty on Right Tackle Evan Neal, killing the Giant’s momentum. With less than a minute left in the game, Hyatt converted a tough fourth and five, taking a big hit in the process. Hyatt has only been targeted nine times but is averaging 17.1 yards per catch.
Simply put, the Giants need to involve Hyatt more if they want to expand this offense. Coach Brian Daboll and Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka need to find ways to involve Hyatt early and often. They need to make defenses respect the speed that Hyatt brings. That in turn, will open up other areas of the field, making reads and throws easier for the quarterback.
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Main Photo Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
