10 things to watch in Giants vs. Patriots

Announcers: Bob Papa (Play-by-Play), Carl Banks (Analyst), Phil Simms (Analyst), Howard Cross (Sideline), Bruce Beck (Sideline)

Announces: Paul Dottino (Play-by-Play), Shaun O’Hara (Analyst), Madelyn Burke (Sideline)

Pre- and Postgame: John Schmeelk, Tiki Barber

Pregame: Giants Gameday begins at 7:00 p.m., presented by Hackensack Meridian Health.

Postgame: Giants Extra Point

This week’s game can be streamed on Amazon Prime.

The Giants received some positive news Tuesday with left tackle Andrew Thomas passing his physical and returning to practice. Thomas was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp, where he remained until Tuesday morning. The Giants will now begin to ramp Thomas up with the hopes of him being ready for the season opener in Washington. But for now, the team is taking it one day at a time with their start left tackle.

“Today was the day that we were planning on working to get him back towards,” Daboll told the media Tuesday. “We’ll take it slow, but the trainers did a really good job and AT’s done a nice job. We’ll just keep building him.”

Thomas participated in individual drills Tuesday, an encouraging first step as he works his way back into game shape. It has been a long road for the lineman, who injured his foot in Week 6 of last season. The 26-year-old expressed his excitement about being able to get back out there with his teammates in some capacity for the first time in a long time.

“It feels great,” Thomas said after practice. “I was joking about it with the training staff earlier today and on our cards, they have like a date for like when you first started and I looked down and it was like 310 days consecutive of training and trying to get right. So, it’s been a long time and I’m grateful to be back out there. I know I’m not all the way back practicing with everyone, but to get something in today, it felt good.”

Thomas wasn’t the only player to return to practice Tuesday after missing some time. Most notably, Malik Nabers was back on the field after not taking part in practice recently. The star wideout participated in some drills as the team starts to gets him ready for the beginning of the regular season.

Running back Cam Skattebo was also back on the practice field Tuesday after being sidelined for some time. The rookie took part in team drills and looked like he hadn’t missed a step from where he was at the start of training camp. The other players that returned to practice Tuesday were linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, tight ends Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz, cornerback Tre Hawkins and safety K’Von Wallace.

“I know it’s a short turnaround and we’ve got a game on Thursday,” Daboll said before Tuesday’s practice, “but I think it’s important to take advantage of these days.”

Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has completed 26 of 35 passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers while adding 29 yards and an additional touchdown on the ground. More importantly, the moment has not been too big for Dart.

“The process for Jaxson has been really clearly laid out from all the touch points we had with him through the spring,” assistant general manager Brandon Brown said Tuesday. “We knew what we were getting. It was playing to his strengths right now. Whether it’s playing with pace, his ability, you’ve seen it last preseason game, to manipulate his arm slots in the screen game, throw with touch, and just improving on the other nuances of the fundamentals.

“Obviously, our offense is not the easiest, but what he’s able to do in terms of on the daily to get tutelage from Russ and Jameis, we can bring him along at the right, call it pace, where we don’t have to force him into scenarios that he’s not comfortable with. And you see it from OTAs to minicamp to early training camp to the preseason games. It’s just a comfort. The game is slowing down for him, and I just think from the rhythm and pace that he’s playing with and the tempo that we’re able to push, it all lends to his strong suits.”

While it is unclear who will or will not play in the preseason finale, it’s safe to assume Dart will get an extended look, as it might be the last time we see the rookie on the field for some time.