New York Giants-Detroit Lions joint practice, Day 1: Rough day for Giants’ offense

The New York Giants and Detroit Lions have completed their first day of joint practices, and most reports indicate that the Giants did not have a great day offensively.

Art Stapleton said quarterback Daniel Jones missed a couple of throws on an uneven day. Dan Duggan said it “was the worst the first-team offense has looked all camp.”

“I just missed a couple of them that normally I feel pretty good about,” Jones said after practice.

Jones said there was a deep throw to Darren Waller he missed that he has “hit several times” in earlier practices.

Regardless of the results, Jones said the work was “valuable.”

“I think just seeing different looks. Going up against different guys that you don’t know as well. I think the competitive nature of these practices speeds up the game a little bit in certain situations,” he said. “I think just seeing a new look, seeing a new team. You get used to practicing against your guys – your defense and what they do and to see another group is helpful. It’s valuable time.”

Waller also thought the work was helpful.

“I mean it’s a lot more physical out here. A lot more things to take into count, somebody is going to come and put a forearm in your ribs when you run over the middle of the field even though it’s just a 7-on-7,” he said. “Just getting more acclimated to game-like situations and knowing that it’s a physical game at the end of the day. It’s not always going to be 7-on-7 and people tagging off on you. It’s a good acclimation.”

Head coach Brian Daboll likes the work against another opponent.

“I love practicing against another team during training camp,” Daboll said before the first of the two workouts. The teams will practice again tomorrow and meet in their preseason opener Friday night in Ford Field. “I think it’s kind of the next step for training camp when you practice against another team. I think there is competitive juices, the coaches have it, the players have it, but we are going to try to practice the right way against a really good team.

“It’s different looks, it’s different matchups. It’s a very competitive two days of practice that I am looking forward to. … I think it’s just the next step of our process of this, is why we planned on doing it, to get good work, to evaluate them against different players. There’s a lot of players out here competing for an opportunity and for a job and we’ll be evaluating all of them.”

Here is a little bit from Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated on Tuesday’s practice:

Best thing I saw: Saquon Barkley making a house call.

The Giants had a tough time generating offense against Detroit’s defensive starters, but their best play unsurprisingly involved Barkley.

In team drills, New York had Jones hand off to Barkley on a stretch play to the left, before Jones rolled right and gave shovel-pass action. Meanwhile, Barkley tore down the left sideline and outran his pursuers for what would have been a long touchdown.

Best thing I heard: Kayvon Thibodeaux on how football equates to chess.

“Chess is a heavyweight match,” Thibodeaux said after Tuesday’s practice. “It’s understanding that sometimes you have to sacrifice certain things to get where you want to be. Understanding what I have to do and how I have to set my opponent up to ultimately get the win I want.”

[Valentine’s View: I get asked all the time about the potential for Thibodeaux to improve in Year 2. I think this — understanding the NFL game and how to use the skills he has to be successful — could be what helps him take a leap in his second season.]

Injury notes

Defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (groin) and right tackle Evan Neal (concussion) did not practice. Defensive tackle Ryder Anderson (triceps) also continues to be sidelined.

One more practice

The Giants and Lions will hold their second practice in Allen Park on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. They will meet in a preseason game on Friday night.

— To get the Detroit view of practice, check out SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit.