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SIGN UP NOWLANDOVER, Md. — Takeaways from the Giants’ 21-6 loss to the Commanders:
1. There was a same old, same old vibe to what went down in this season opener. A leaky offensive line. Uninspired play at quarterback. A defensive line that was not given the opportunity to tee off and rush the passer because the Giants did not play one snap with the lead. Just like that, all the positivity from training camp and the preseason games vanished into thin air and that sense of supreme disappointment could be felt inside the visiting locker room at Northwest Stadium. These players thought this season would be different, and after one game, it was more of the same.
2. For five snaps on defense, Abdul Carter waited on the sideline before he came onto the field to make his NFL debut. It was no surprise that Carter did not start — he is listed as the backup to Brian Burns at outside linebacker. Carter’s entrance came on third-and-5 — a passing situation for Washington — and his arrival prompted a false start penalty on tight end Zach Ertz. Carter lined up inside at first and on the next series moved to an outside rush position. His first noticeable impact came on special teams, as he tipped the ball on Tress Way’s punt. Carter, as a run stopper in the third quarter, dropped rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt for a 4-yard loss. Carter finished with three tackles and one-half sack.
3. It was not a great afternoon for a pair of former Joe Schoen first-round picks. Deonte Banks (2023) did not win his summer battle with Cor’Dale Flott for a starting job and was relegated to third-down duty. Evan Neal (2022) was a healthy scratch, making it official, for now, that his transition from tackle to guard was not a success. Neal never mounted a challenge to unseat Greg Van Roten as the starting right guard and he did not show enough to move ahead of veteran journeyman Aaron Stinnie as the first guard reserve. It is a long season, and Banks has a chance to make up some ground. The early returns for 2025 are not encouraging, though.