Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Giants closed their preseason with a convincing 42-10 victory over the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night, but during the win, rookie defensive back TJ Moore suffered a serious injury.
Moore, an undrafted free agent out of Mercer, was carted off the field in the fourth quarter after his right leg bent awkwardly while covering a punt.
Doctors and trainers immobilized his leg, while teammates, including quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart, gathered to help him onto the medical cart, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.
Moore managed to give a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was taken to the locker room. The injury came after what had been his most impactful performance of the preseason.
In the third quarter, Moore intercepted rookie Patriots quarterback Ben Wooldridge near midfield and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six added to a strong night that also included three tackles, capping off a preseason in which Moore recorded eight tackles entering the finale. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had noted during the draft process that Moore possessed versatility in both man and zone coverage, though he remained a developmental prospect.
The Giants’ offense delivered its most complete showing of the preseason. Rookie first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart opened the scoring with a 50-yard strike to Gunner Olszewski before connecting with tight end Greg Dulcich for another touchdown on the opening drive. Dart finished 6 of 12 for 82 yards and one touchdown.
Winston extended the lead with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Jalin Hyatt in the second quarter, before Tommy DeVito took over after halftime. DeVito went 17 of 20 for 198 yards and three touchdowns, hitting Thomas Fidone in the red zone, Jonathan Ward on a 41-yard screen, and Dulcich for a short-yardage score. Across the preseason, Dart completed 32 of 47 passes for 372 yards with three touchdowns and one rushing score, while DeVito finished with a near-perfect performance Thursday.
The Patriots struggled to generate offense. Wooldridge completed just 10 of 24 passes for 87 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions, including Moore’s pick-six. Their lone score came late in the first half when Wooldridge connected with Jeremiah Webb from 10 yards out to cut the deficit to 14-10, but the Giants responded with 28 unanswered points.
With roster cuts due by Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Giants (3-0) must now trim from 90 players to the 53-man limit before preparing for their regular-season opener against the Washington Commanders on Sept. 7.
