AT A GLANCE

Russell Wilson made his Giants debut, Jaxson Dart threw a perfect touchdown in his first game in the NFL, and Graham Gano showed he's still got the leg. The Giants also capitalized on a late turnover, amounting to a 34-25 road victory over the Bills to open the preseason.

UP NEXT

The Giants resume training camp with joint practices against the Jets on Tuesday (Florham Park) and Wednesday (East Rutherford) ahead of their annual preseason matchup on Saturday, Aug. 16 (7 p.m.) at MetLife Stadium. The Giants will be the "home" team this year. Then they turn around and host the Patriots on Thursday, Aug. 21 (8 p.m.) in the finale.

Clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players by 4 p.m. on Aug. 26. The Giants open the regular season 12 days after that on the road against the Commanders.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE

Starting lineup:

• QB Russell Wilson
• LT James Hudson III
• LG Jon Runyan Jr.
• C John Michael Schmitz
• RG Greg Van Roten
• RT Jermaine Eluemunor
• TE Theo Johnson
• WR Wan'Dale Robinson
• WR Zach Pascal
• WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey
• RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.

In what has become a yearly tradition around the league, reporters spent all week trying to get head coaches to share if starters will play in the preseason. Brian Daboll didn't provide much, other than confirming that rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart would see playing time. Daboll did a lot of research on what other teams and veteran coaches have done in recent years but concluded there was not "one right formula."

He did say, however, there is no substitute for playing the game.

"You have to tackle," Daboll said. "You don't do a whole lot [in practice]. Some people do some live tackling, but it's not much. There's no substitute for a quarterback when he knows he can get hit. There's no substitute for an offensive guard cleaning the pocket or being very physical in the run game in gang tackling. That's the game of football."

That philosophy led to Russell Wilson making his Giants debut. The 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback started and completed his first six passes to four different targets for 28 yards. The seventh was tipped at the line and the Giants settled for a 53-yard field goal by Graham Gano. The opening drive stalled after two penalties (a false start followed by holding) on Hudson.

"Being a pro and a vet that's been doing it for a long time, you can feel that at practice, you can feel that out there today," general manager Joe Schoen said on the broadcast about Wilson. "The ball just comes out quick. There aren't any defenses that he hasn't seen before. He's got very good command of the offense, and I feel like you felt that today."

Daboll said before the game that all starters without an injury concern would play. "I think that's what our team needs," he said.

"We've got to be ready to play when September comes," Schoen added.

Rookie Jaxson Dart, the 25^th overall draft pick, entered the game when Wilson and the starters departed after the opening drive. The Ole Miss career passing leader completed his first attempt, a nine-yard gain to Pascal. But it was the second drive that will have Giants fans excited for the future.

After a long catch-and-run by wide receiver Montrell Washington, a common connection at training camp, Dart showed his timing and anticipation on a 29-yard touchdown pass to Humphrey on the left side of the end zone.

The Giants took a 16-10 lead into halftime, and Dart's day ended there. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown, good for a 106.0 passer rating. He also ran for a team-high 24 yards on three carries.

Marcus Mbow, a fifth-round pick from Purdue, turned heads while playing both tackle positions in his NFL debut.

"We were talking at halftime like it's been kind of quiet over there on the right side," Schoen said. "It seems like Mbow is doing a good job. We'll have to watch the film, but he's done a good job thus far. When we don't recognize them, you don't hear their name, that's typically a good thing at the tackle position."

Andrew Thomas remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. The standout left tackle underwent surgery last season after suffering a foot injury against Cincinnati on Oct. 13. Running back Eric Gray is also on PUP.

Jameis Winston was the third quarterback to enter the game, taking over to start the second half. He completed seven of 11 passes for 62 yards, including a seven-yard touchdown to Gunner Olszewski. The wide receiver and noted special teamer returned to the team last week after Bryce Ford-Wheaton suffered a torn Achilles. After the touchdown, rookie tight end Thomas Fidone II hauled in Winston's pass for the successful two-point conversion.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE

Starting lineup:

• DE Kayvon Thibodeaux
• DT Rakeem Nuñez-Roches
• DT Roy Robertson-Harris
• OLB Brian Burns
• ILB Bobby Okereke
• ILB Micah McFadden
• NICKEL Dru Phillips
• CB Paulson Adebo
• CB Deonte Banks
• S Tyler Nubin
• S Jevón Holland

Dexter Lawrence set the tone the night before the first practice of training camp. Following an offseason of hype for the defense, which added Abdul Carter to an already talented front, the three-time Pro Bowler stressed they haven't done anything yet.

That energy carried over to practice and now to the preseason.

On their first defensive series, linebacker Micah McFadden leveled running back Ray Davis to force an incompletion. On second down, defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris, an offseason addition, hit Mitchell Trubisky, who started in place of reigning MVP Josh Allen. On third-and-15, the Giants rallied to the ball and forced a three-and-out.

A group of veterans, which included Wilson, Lawrence, Brian Burns and Malik Nabers, talked to all the rookies about what to expect in the preseason and tips that helped them in their careers. Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick, absorbed the information and looked forward to getting his routine down – in addition to being allowed to "take guys to the ground."

"I saw Abdul, he looks like he got a couple pressures," Schoen said. "I'll have to go back and see the film afterwards. And then Jaxson did a good job operating the offense, and I was glad he was able to get the two-minute drill in there in the end. I'm happy with where both of those guys are."

Outside linebacker Trace Ford, an undrafted rookie out of Oklahoma, helped seal the game by recovering a fumble on an errant snap in Bills territory late in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing possession, Tommy DeVito threw a nine-yard touchdown to running back Jonathan Ward, giving the Giants a nine-point lead with 2:11 left in the game.

The Giants notched two sacks on the day, one apiece from defensive lineman D.J. Davidson and Jordon Riley.

Deonte Banks started after he was listed as a co-starter with Cor'Dale Flott to play opposite Paulson Adebo on the first unofficial depth chart. Banks made three solo tackles and broke up a pass.

"He's in a battle with Flott for that second corner spot," Schoen said, "so it was important to get out here and let him play."

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS

Special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial was asked this week about Graham Gano as the longtime NFL kicker comes off back-to-back seasons with injuries.

"I thought he played his best ball towards the back quarter of the season," Ghobrial said. "And it looked like he was the Graham Gano that everybody knows."

Gano, who is second among active NFL players in career points scored, answered the same question with his leg on Saturday by making all three of his field goal attempts from 53, 50, and 51 yards.

"To me, the most successful kickers are 100 percent inside 45 yards," Ghobrial said earlier this week. "And then when you look at something that's plus-46, you want a guy to be above 80 percent in theory. So he does have that 50-plus range still, he does have the ability to hit the big ball. And now with this new kickoff, it's more focused on foot accuracy. So do you need a guy that's going to kick it 10 yards deep every time? Not necessarily. Does he have that ability still to do so? He does. He's shown it this offseason, this training camp."

With a 19-yard punt return, Ihmir Smith-Marsette helped set up a drive that resulted in a field goal late in the first half. He also broke a 40-yard kickoff return, showing why the Giants brought the Newark native back this offseason.

Jude McAtamney kicked a 42-yard field goal to give the Giants a 27-25 lead with 7:13 left in the fourth quarter.

GAMEDAY CAPTAINS

QB Russell Wilson, OLB Brian Burns

*Players will vote later this month for the 2025 season captains.

THIS WEEK'S ROSTER MOVES

LB Ty Summers (Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement), LB K.J. Cloyd (Free Agent Signing), RB Jonathan Ward (Free Agent Signing), RB Rushawn Baker (Waived/Injured)