The New York Giants did not need a reminder of the delicate nature of a preseason moment, but Brian Daboll provided one anyway. The head coach has always walked the thin line between allowing his young quarterbacks to compete and keeping them safe from injuries. With a packed quarterback corps of Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and rookie Jaxson Dart, Daboll emphasized all summer that every snap matters but is also hazardous if done the wrong way. Thursday night, that caution became apparent when Dart briefly exited the field after absorbing a jarring hit that quieted the stadium.

Daboll was blunt when discussing the sequence. The Giants’ head coach revealed that Dart had simply gotten the wind knocked out of him, but the play served as a gut-check reminder of the balance he’s trying to strike. ”I’ll never take his competitiveness away,” Daboll said, his tone firm but protective. “That’s who he is. But there are certain times to avoid ‘unnecessary hits.”’ The coach’s words were like a wake-up call to a rookie who had built up respect in the locker room for his toughness. But he is still learning that toughness at times, is less important than durability. Preseason games don’t count in the standings, but they do in the error margin. And New York can’t allow a careless move to rewrite its September blueprint.

Dart went through concussion protocol in no time, and if this was a regular-season game, maybe he’d have come back. But Daboll wasn’t about to take any chances. So he left the rookie to watch the remaining of the night unfold from the sidelines. There was some good news out of the Meadowlands on Thursday night: the preseason has officially ended. For the Patriots, though, the good news did not go any further. The Giants had done enough damage already. With Russell Wilson sitting out and Winston cranking it up from the bench. New York racked up points in all four quarters. Meanwhile, the Patriots seemed to be a team willing to tear down camp and head back to Foxborough with more questions than answers.

In the first drive alone, the Giants established the tone. Scoring in a hurry and keeping the pedal down in a game more or less decided at halftime. The final of 42-10 was not only a score that reflected dominance. But it also showed how lopsided things were between a Giants offense building momentum and a Patriots offense searching for building blocks. New England did have some bright spots in the evening. Undrafted rookie wide receiver Jeremiah Webb hauled in some big-time catches and gave fans a reason to write his name on the watch list.

But aside from Webb, it was slim pickings. Second-year wide receiver Javon Baker had two third-down drops and was without a catch. Drake Maye did not dress. Joshua Dobbs also did not play. And if your defense lets five touchdown passes fall to a battalion of Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston, and Tommy DeVito, the concerns about depth and readiness only get more deafening. Patriots defense was gashed for 431 yards while the offense mustered just 191. The final cuts will tell the story of how this roster is shaping up. But Thursday night was not the tape you’d want to submit before decision day.

Giants’ Injury Report

Although Jaxson Dart’s injury proved to be minor, the Giants still have a few of injured players as they finish up the preseason. Cornerback TJ Moore is out after his horrific leg injury against the Patriots, leaving a significant void in the secondary. Safety Anthony Johnson Jr. is also out, not able to dress because of his continued recovery.

Wide receiver Malik Nabers was labeled as questionable after coping with nagging toe, shoulder, and back problems, although now he’s back at practice. Veteran wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton remains on injured reserve with an Achilles injury. Depriving the Giants of one of their solid receiving threats for the impending roster decisions.

Though Dart’s scare didn’t disrupt the quarterback room. The Giants still have a combination of starters and role players fighting injuries. Managing health throughout the roster will be critical as they set their 53-man roster and move into Week 1.