by At long last, the NFL Regular Season is here—the New York Giants’ matchup against the Washington Commanders in the season opener. The Giants are the clear underdogs in this game, but there is a path to an impressive victory by the G-Men that will be in part by these three players:
Tyler Nubin, Safety
After a solid rookie campaign, there are high hopes for the former Minnesota safety. Nubin has already shown that he is one of the better-tackling safeties in the league. He had 98 tackles with a missed tackle percentage of 4.9%. However, this season, he must demonstrate his ball-hawking ability, which was evident in college.
There were glimpses of Nubin’s aggressiveness towards the ball in training camp. If he can force multiple pass breakups or even force a turnover this week, the Giants’ defense will be in a nonstop battle with the elite Commanders offense.
Wan’Dale Robinson, Wide Receiver
For his entire NFL career, Robinson has been nothing more than a short-yardage receiver. This playstyle was taken to the extreme last season, finishing 13th in receptions (93) but also 51st in receiving yards (699).
Because of Robinson’s 5’8″ height and minuscule catch radius, the Giants have never given him a chance to make a difference outside of the short pass game. Part of the reason for this is the quarterbacks’ inability to pass downfield. At this training camp, there were flashes of his downfield ability.
The addition of Russell Wilson, who still has profound arm strength, will allow Robinson to become a downfield threat. This will make the Giants a dynamic offense that they have not been in years.
Cordale Flott/Deonte Banks: Cornerback
Although this technically includes four players on the list, there is still no clear answer as to who will be the CB2 for the Giants. The battle for the second corner spot was the primary headline of New York’s training camp and preseason. This battle seemingly ended at a standstill, with there being no indication of who will see the majority of the starter snaps.
No matter who it is, the Giants have not had a consistent second corner in years and are in desperate need of one. Banks, the former first-rounder, has shown he can keep up with anyone in the league, but is incapable of turning his head around. Flott, who has shown flashes, can make a play on the ball at any moment.
Regardless of who the starter is, if they can play at a starting-caliber level, the Giants’ defensive backfield will be as complete as it has been in a long time.
