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Cover 4: Takeaways from win over Panthers

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The Giants.com crew breaks down the preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers:

John Schmeelk: The second preseason game might be the only time we get to see the Giants' first-team offense, from the offensive line, to the quarterback, to the skill position players. If those 10 snaps for Daniel Jones, Andrew Thomas and eight for Darren Waller are the only ones we see this preseason, could they have been any better?

The Giants showed much of what made their offense work last season. They used a combination of short and quick passes with play-action and some pre-snap motion to create space in the secondary to move the ball 75 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown. Jones immediately found chemistry with Darren Waller, completing three passes. He used his legs to run for yards on a play when there was pressure in the pocket and completed a few passes on the move.

In short, the passing offense looked sharp and in sync. It's exactly what everyone wanted to see in preseason before the team will take the field against the Cowboys in Week 1. Perhaps the most important development was that no one got hurt. You can't ask for more coming out of what has become the "dress rehearsal" game for most teams in the preseason.

Dan Salomone: The game showed that the arrival of Darren Waller doesn't mean Daniel Bellinger won't have a major role in the offense – the latter's role could even be bigger in Year 2. The first drive was a perfect example of what the offense can be with two tight ends. Waller caught three passes for 30 yards as the Giants marched down to the Panthers' 4, where Bellinger waited in the weeds until slipping out for a touchdown. The two closest defenders hesitated just enough to stay with Waller, giving Bellinger a path to the end zone.

"He's got the right mindset of kind of the person we are looking for," coach Brian Daboll said of Bellinger. "He's smart. He's tough. He's dependable. He's a good teammate. He works hard. He puts the team first. I think it's good to have veterans in the room that can help those players as well, those young players. I think he's made strides from when he played last year to where he's at now. Time will tell once we get going here in the regular season. Good young player, has the right mindset and has a good player in the room to learn from as well now."

View photos from the home preseason opener between the Giants and Panthers at MetLife Stadium.