Ballentine a blast in his Big Blue debut
Daniel Jones’ brief-but-electric Giants preseason debut Thursday doesn’t mean he’s suddenly the Week 1 starter ahead of Eli Manning.
It does, however, provide more reason to buy stock in the rookie’s getting on the field sooner rather than later.
Jones wasn’t the only player on the field Thursday, though. There were plenty other Giants players whose stock was rising following their 31-22 preseason victory over the Jets.
Corey Ballentine, CB: The sixth-round rookie from Division II Washburn University has made consistent plays on the ball in training camp, plucking multiple interceptions in practices. And he carried it into Thursday’s game with a leaping pick of ex-Giant QB Davis Webb late in the third quarter.
“I’ve always felt I could play at this level,” Ballentine said with a smile.
He also made an excellent pass breakup earlier in the second half that was reviewed for defensive pass interference and overturned, but replays appeared to show minimal contact and great timing on the breakup.
On special teams, Ballentine bounced back from a bobbled early kickoff return in the end zone to return one to the Giants’ 34-yard line. He has speed and instincts and constantly is making plays. So he is standing out.
Alex Tanney, QB: There isn’t a true path to regular season playing time on this team for Tanney, but the veteran backup’s strong performance Thursday reinforced that Manning, Jones and Tanney are the top-three QBs on this roster.
Kyle Lauletta directed a fourthquarter touchdown drive with a 31-yard TD pass to T.J. Jones, but he’s going to have a tough time making the team despite being a Dave Gettleman draft pick.
Tanney completed 15 of 20 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown, including a 51-yard slant catch-and-run to Russell Shepard. Tanney’s best throw, though, was a dime deep down the left sideline into the breadbasket of wideout Alonzo Russell for 39 yards.
Jake Carlock, edge: Carlock, an undrafted rookie from Division II LIU Post, made one of the plays of the night to bat down a Webb pass, intercept his own deflection and race 59 yards for the touchdown in the third quarter.
The Giants will welcome as many playmakers as possible to assert themselves on the edge, and Carlock — a defensive back with long-snapping ability coming out of college — is showing the type of energy that is perfectly characteristic of James Bettcher’s defense when it’s clicking.
T.J. Jones, WR: Jones was extremely reliable as a receiver in his Giants debut, catching all six passes thrown his way for 72 yards and a touchdown. He made a nice adjustment on the TD to haul in Lauletta’s back-shoulder throw.
More impressively, Jones did all of this just 12 days after signing. And he’s doing it while learning all three receiver positions, all of which he has the talent to play.
“Guys keep asking me, ‘Why are you always in the meeting room?’ ” Jones said. “I tell them, ‘I’m studying!’ It’s not going to be an excuse that I just got here 12 days ago. It would be, ‘You’ve been here for 12 days. You need to know this by now.’ I’m still learning, but I’m definitely getting more comfortable in this offense."
Jones must be better on punt returns, where he bobbled a ball and was tripped up early on another.
Jonathan Anderson, LB: The Giants liked Anderson, a fifth-year pro out of TCU, during his three seasons as a regular Chicago Bears special-teamer and backup linebacker from 2015-17. Thursday, he lined up with the secondteam defense and showed great energy and some playmaking ability.
He rocked Jets receiver Greg Dorch with a big hit on one play to force a fumble the Jets recovered, and he shed a block to blow up a Jets screen pass on another. With B.J. Goodson sliding down to the third-team defense and surrendering a late TD covering Dorch, Anderson is a sleeper to make this team and become a regular contributor.
Other notes: Running back Paul Perkins, a Jerry Reese draft pick just like Goodson, stumbled out of the preseason gate with a fumble and dropped pass as the second RB in the game.
■ Wayne Gallman, starting in place of the rested Saquon Barkley, ran hard and well in limited action.
■ Rookie Jon Hilliman sustained a concussion in the fourth quarter.
■ Rod Smith showed some moves in limited action. The Giants also like Smith on special teams.
■ Manning had tight end Rhett Ellison wide open on a roll out on the starting quarterback’s only drive but checked down to tight end Scott Simonson for a 2-yard gain. It was a reminder of plenty plays from 2018, and it stood in stark contrast to Jones’ delivering strikes downfield on his TD drive.
■ Veteran wideouts Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler helped acclimate Jones to the pro game with smooth routes and good catches on that drive. Both receivers made two grabs on two targets, including Fowler’s 12-yard TD catch.
■ Reggie White Jr., wearing Odell Beckham Jr.’s old No. 13, made some plays, as well.
■ Shepard showed impressive speed on his touchdown after catching Tanney’s slant.
■ Rookie corner Julian Love started in the slot and got picked on a bit early, including on the Jets’ first touchdown to Jamison Crowder on a rub route. But Love did fight back to make a nice pass breakup in the second half
■ First-round corner DeAndre Baker committed clear pass interference on a deep pass downfield. He’ll be charged with locking up the side opposite Janoris Jenkins.