New York Giants Week 1 Snap Count Takeaways

The New York Giants deployed several heavy personnel packages featuring two tight ends in Sunday’s 28-6 debacle against the Minnesota Vikings. The likely reason was to force the Vikings to remain in their base defense rather than turn to sub-packages that could be part of defensive coordinator Brian Flores’s exotic pressure packages.

Rookie Theo Johnson finished with the most snaps of the three tight ends, playing in 61 of the 71 snaps on offense. Starter Daniel Bellinger only appeared in 16 snaps.

Rookie receiver Malik Nabers joined the five starting offensive linemen, and quarterback Daniel Jones was the only player on offense to play all 71 offensive snaps in the game. Surprisingly, receiver Jalin Hyatt only played 16 snaps, while fellow receiver Wan’Dale Robinson played 48.

Among the Giants running backs, Devin Singletary was in for 50 of the 71 snaps, while rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr got 15 and ERic Gray received seven.

On defense, only three players–safety Tyler Nubin, inside linebacker Bobby Okereke, and cornerback Deonte Banks—played all 55 snaps. Safety Jason Pinnock missed one of the 55 snaps. Dane Belton, who had a back issue leading up to the game, played nine snaps.

Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson played just 19 snaps in what was likely a pitch count. Meanwhile, rookie Darius Muasau, who started as an inside linebacker next to Okereke, played 45 snaps as the Giants ran their base defense quite a bit in this game.

Linebacker/defensive back Isaiah Simmons did not receive a single defensive snap as the team went with Andru Phillips and Cor’Dale Flott at slot cornerback. Rookie defensive lineman Elijah Chatman saw 24 snaps. The pass-rushing duo of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux saw 48 and 41 snaps, respectively.

Benton Whitley, Ty Summers, Simmons, and Bryce Ford Wheaton were among the core special teams players.