The New York Giants walked out of Buffalo with a preseason win and a whole lot of optimism, but they didn’t make it back to East Rutherford completely clean. There was one under-the-radar moment that might be the most overlooked takeaway from the 34-25 victory, and it happened before most people had even settled into their seats.
Dru Phillips, Big Blue's starting nickel corner, only played three snaps before coming off the field. Head coach Brian Daboll called it an injury and left it at that. No real details, no timeline, just that Phillips “couldn’t finish” the game. If this sounds familiar, it’s because Phillips dealt with a shoulder issue last year, and the play in question sure looked like it could be a flare-up.
On its own, a seemingly unserious August injury to a starter isn’t necessarily panic-worthy. But when the cornerback depth is already shaky and your backup plan just got picked apart by Buffalo’s backup quarterbacks, it’s not exactly something they can just shrug off and move on from.
Dru Phillips injury puts Giants’ thin cornerback depth under the microscope
Phillips’ absence pushed Nic Jones into action, and let’s just say it wasn’t his best day. The G-Men brought in the former Chiefs cornerback back in February, hoping a little Super Bowl pedigree might help pull them out of their bottomless pit of misery. He’s looked solid in training camp, but Saturday was a reminder that nothing replaces live-game reps.
Pro Football Focus credited him with allowing all six of his targets to be caught for 82 yards, one touchdown, and a perfect passer rating when targeted. He also added a missed tackle and a penalty for good measure. That’s the kind of stat line that'll get a player noticed for quite literally all the wrong reasons.
The problem is, Jones isn’t the only concern. Cor’Dale Flott is apparently banged up, too, and didn’t play against Buffalo, and behind him, it’s a mix of rookies and fringe roster guys. Paulson Adebo and Deonte Banks might be fine as outside starters, but if one of them or Phillips misses time, the entire secondary starts feeling like a Jenga tower.
It’s only the first preseason game, but Daboll’s going to have to figure out how to keep Phillips healthy without leaving himself exposed in the slot. Maybe that means wrapping him in bubble wrap until Week 1. Maybe that means calling around for a veteran before cut-down day. Either way, what looked like a small blip on Saturday could turn into one of the most uncomfortable situations on the roster if it’s not addressed... quickly.