The New York Giants closed out their preseason with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the New England Patriots in the final seconds when quarterback Kyle Lauletta hit wide receiver Alonzo Russell for the game-winning score.
It was an impressive way to end the preseason slate, going 4-0 for the first time since 2014. However, with roughly 30 players not suiting up, it meant a lot of playing time for fringe guys.
Here’s a look at how the offensive, defensive and special teams snap counts broke down:
There’s a true anomaly at the very top of the snap counts — offensive lineman Brian Mihalik took every single offensive snap. That’s a true preseason rarity, even for the fourth preseason game. The Giants obviously wanted to make sure they got as much film on him as possible.
James O’Hagan also took on a heavy load after a preseason in which he saw very little time. Perhaps head coach Pat Shurmur was giving him an opportunity to showcase his talents for another team.
Defensively, safety Sean Chandler, cornerback Henre’ Toliver and rookie defensive back Julian Love saw the bulk of the carries, but of the three, Chandler clearly had the best overall performance.
Finally, judging by his use, we can all say goodbye to punter Johnny Townsend.
