Giants vs Bills Preseason Week 1 Preview: Key Storylines and Players to Watch
When the ball is teed up Saturday afternoon in Orchard Park, it will be the fans’ first opportunity to see both the Giants and the Bills for 2025. Here are three main storylines to watch as the preseason kicks off.
1. Which QB Looks the Part?
The Giants have been uninspiring at the quarterback position, to say the least, since Brian Daboll's arrival in 2022. Most of the blame may reside with Daniel Jones, but fair or not, Daboll's job is likely tied to the QB play this year.
Right now, the job is Russell Wilson’s, and based on Daboll's media availability Tuesday, it’s likely he plays at least a few series, if not more. If Wilson can stay in rhythm and hit the deep shots he’s known for, it’s his job to lose.
If he looks rocky, like he has at times in the past few seasons, first-round pick Jaxson Dart has to be ready (no offense to Jameis Winston, but he’s more of a locker room guy than a viable long-term starting option at this point).
Dart’s practice reports from training camp haven’t been glowing; however, his play style at Ole Miss lends to the fact that he could find his footing in Daboll’s offense. , which placed him third in the nation last year. His willingness to run (4.0 yards per carry) could also be useful in a matchup with a Bills team that isn’t strong at linebacker. A strong showing from Dart in week 1 could go a long way in closing the gap between him and Wilson.
2. Is the Pass Rush for Real?
Typically, a first-round rookie quarterback is the most critical piece of any draft class, but that might not be the case for the Giants. Abdul Carter went third overall after posting 23.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks last season at Penn State.
He joins a talented room featuring two former top 10 picks in Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and All-Pro Dexter Lawrence. Because of the other guys there, it will be interesting to see how second-year coordinator Shane Bowen utilizes Carter, who split time in college between edge and off-ball linebacker.
According to training camp reports, Carter has been lighting it up no matter where he lines up on the field. If Bowen can utilize that edge rushing trio, along with Lawrence and fellow rookie Darius Alexander, the Giants might be able to rely on their front 7 to take over games.
They’ll get a pretty good test on Saturday, for the first few series at least, against a Bills offensive line that finished as a top 5 unit according to PFF in 2024.
3. How Do the DBs Fare Against an Improved Bills’ Receiving Core?
The Bills haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Stefon Diggs left after 2023. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter much when you have Josh Allen, but in the last couple of years, Buffalo has been taking strides to help out their all-world quarterback.
This offseason, they signed Josh Palmer, who caught 65 balls for 584 yards in 2024, along with former second-round pick Elijah Moore. Khalil Shakir was the best receiver on the Bills last year, hauling in 821 yards in 15 games. Keon Coleman also returns for his second year, hoping to become a more consistent threat.
On the other side of the ball, the Giants brought in Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland to improve a passing defense that ranked th in the league last year. The Giants also have a trio of young defensive backs in Tyler Nubin, Deonte Banks, and Cordale Flott, who hopefully continue to improve.
The similarities between these two position groups make it a fascinating matchup to watch Saturday, even with Mitchell Trubisky, Shane Buchele, and Mike White throwing the ball.
Real football is coming soon, Giants fans! We’ll have to see if it was worth the wait or if we’ll be looking towards 2026 shortly; Saturday will be an opportunity to make a good impression.