Haven't watched the whole game yet...

[Driven_Phinsane!]

But from what i've seen so far and from all of the comments here i'm just trying to look at this first preseason game objectively and viewing it for what it is; a first preseason game...

First let me preface by saying, with us sitting practically our whole starting D and a key cog on O (DeVante) i figured this squad would get their asses handed to them on a Giant blue & white platter, especially playing on the Giants home turf...and that's pretty much how this game started. Let me also add that while we all know what preseason is for (glorified practices to help work out the kinks, figure things out against other competition other than your own teammates and work to cull & shape your final roster) as far as winning and losing in preseason, i don't really look at the final score..While i always want us to win, IMO, the 'real' score and who actually 'wins' the game is the team leading when the regulars are in the game; meaning if we're totally sucking and down by two scores when the starters are playing, only to rally and pull out a come-from-behind win when the 2nd stringers and even the soon to be Publix bag-boys are in there, then you didn't really win the game (at least on my scorecard) This being said, from a confidence standpoint and having something solid to build on i'd always rather be on the winning end...Also, IMO last night's game was basically a wash b/c of all of our starters sitting and the Giants choice to sit Eli...

What was impressive was the D being active and causing turnover's, the play of Grant (I LOVE THIS KID!!!) though he went out with a rib injury; hope he's okay! and the Fins team not folding like a cheap suit when they fell behind two scores...

Less impressive was how the game started with Tannehill and the O & the starting D (in name only, as the real starting D was on the sidelines) looking to be in mid-season form...UNFORTUNATELY for us, that's not a good thing,, not a good thing at all....

[Dolfan1]

Keep in mind the Giants really loaded up on defense this year. The fact that we only fell behind by 10 is almost a positive.

[cuchulainn]

Biggest disappointment to me at the start of the game was how poor both Albert and James played. I expected TPT to suck ass against the Giants DL, but not these two and they were just as bad. Of course Albert isn't used to playing in PS and James looked like he was stuck in quicksand. I thought Tannehill made a hellova play to avoid the safety on that stunt by OV and JPP where they came free.

I noted as a difference between this team and years past under Philbin was that in the years past, the team would have folded and just stopped caring after such a shitty start. Gase and Joseph have these guys playing hard. Aikens and Hull both looked much improved on Defense.

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Jakeem Grant: 4 catches, 68 yards; 2 kickoff returns, 53 yards; 4 punt returns, 60 yards. Splendid work from the explosive rookie.

[cuchulainn]

Another thing... this draft class looks good even without Howard, Drake, or Lucas playing.

The ones that actually played: Tunsil, Caroo, Grant, Doughty, and Duarte all look like solid picks and guys who will be playing here a long time.

[Driven_Phinsane!]

Biggest disappointment to me at the start of the game was how poor both Albert and James played. I expected TPT to suck ass against the Giants DL, but not these two and they were just as bad. Of course Albert isn't used to playing in PS and James looked like he was stuck in quicksand. I thought Tannehill made a hellova play to avoid the safety on that stunt by OV and JPP where they came free.

I noted as a difference between this team and years past under Philbin was that in the years past, the team would have folded and just stopped caring after such a shitty start. Gase and Joseph have these guys playing hard. Aikens and Hull both looked much improved on Defense.

Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Jakeem Grant: 4 catches, 68 yards; 2 kickoff returns, 53 yards; 4 punt returns, 60 yards. Splendid work from the explosive rookie.

While Albert didn't shine he's still light-years ahead of anything else we have on the O-Line; i personally wince every time he engages thinking he's gonna end up down & out..I remember a couple of years ago when Albert went down and our season went down with him...IMO, to this point James has just looked like a so-so lineman, solid at times but nothing to write home about....

If Aikens does a complete 180 and ends up being a baller i'll be freakin' ecstatic because that guy couldn't find his own ass last season if you'd of given him a map, a flashlight and a couple of clues!

[cuchulainn]

While Albert didn't shine he's still light-years ahead of anything else we have on the O-Line; i personally wince every time he engages thinking he's gonna end up down & out..I remember a couple of years ago when Albert went down and our season went down with him...IMO, to this point James has just looked like a so-so lineman, solid at times but nothing to write home about....

If Aikens does a complete 180 and ends up being a baller i'll be freakin' ecstatic because that guy couldn't find his own ass last season if you'd of given him a map, a flashlight and a couple of clues!

I agree on Albert... and it's scary... lol... that said, I think he'd look better if he wasn't saddled with having such a shitty LG in Dallas Thomas next to him. I think he, and the OL overall, would benefit from having Tunsil at LG.

Dallas Thomas being blown the F up by a 3rd round rookie DE...

https://twitter.com/BrianCat13/status/764254556360278016

Also in that vid, you see James getting crushed into the QB as well and Albert not being able to turn and wall his man off.

I'd say any improvement by Aikens and some of the others are a feather in VJ's cap. Really liked our defensive schemes last night. The execution wasn't there, but guys were where they should've been for the most part. Lippett and IAQ had some gaffs, but that is to be expected for the 1st PS game.

[FinFan in KC]

Agreed. I definitely like the wide 9 scheme so far.