FOXBORO - The preseason finale between the New England Patriots and New York Giants on Thursday night was expected to be a final audition for numerous players.

Perhaps most importantly for New England, it was believed to be the chance for Andrew Walter to show that the Pats can entrust the backup quarterback position to him, that the fifth-year veteran had learned enough in his month with the team to be called on in a pinch should anything happen to Tom Brady.

Only one problem with that theory: Walter never saw the field.

After being dominated early, the Patriots' reserves fought back against the Giants and closed out the preaseson slate with a 3-1 record thanks to a 38-27 victory.

Undrafted rookie Brian Hoyer started - and finished -- the game for New England.

That Walter didn't play is either a very, very good thing or very, very bad thing for the former Oakland Raider. Finally granted his release from Oakland just days into training camp, the Pats wasted little time signing the big-armed quarterback.

On more than one occasion since his arrival, Walter has said that New England's offense isn't quite like any he's ever played in before. And he would know, given that in four years with the Raiders he played for four different head coaches and in three different offensive systems.

But if Bill Belichick's recent remarks are any indication, it may be that Walter's lack of play Thursday was more of a positive in terms of his future with New England than a negative.

"I think that we want to give him a fair opportunity to pick things up," Belichick said on Tuesday. "He's improved in a lot of areas. It's a new offense for him and he's worked to get those things down and try to execute our offense. We want to continue to work with him."

That doesn't mean, however, that the Pats won't bring in another quarterback, as rumors continue to swirl that New England is interested in acquiring the Eagles' A.J. Feeley. With the NFL announcing today that Michael Vick will be fully reinstated in Week 3, Philadelphia may be more willing to deal Feeley and go with just Kevin Kolb as Donovan McNabb's backup for the first two games of the season.

As for Hoyer, he got off to a rough start. In his defense, however, the Giants let their starting defensive players play the first couple of series and New England was playing its offensive backups.

Hoyer and the Pats did not earn a first down until the second quarter; on their first three possessions, they gained a grand total of three yards.

On the first drive, Hoyer was sacked by Terrell Thomas on second down, and was nearly intercepted on third-and-long. Drive two ended when Justin Tuck came screaming through the middle untouched and dropped Hoyer for a nine-yard loss on third down.

But once New York subbed its second-stringers in, Hoyer started to find his groove. He had some help, as BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Terrence Nunn had strong performances.

Green-Ellis, who had seemingly made the coaching staff's decision on whether or not to keep him difficult even before Thursday's outing, rumbled for over 120 yards rushing and three touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards per carry.

Because he played in nine games last season, the second-year back out of Mississippi is not practice-squad eligible; truth be told, the film on him from the exhibition slate may have made it difficult for New England to sign him to the practice squad even if it was able.

Green-Ellis sealed the win for the Patriots in the fourth quarter with a 32-yard touchdown run; he gave his team the lead on the previous drive, dragging defenders on his back and he grinded out one yard for the score.

He had another one-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

A rookie who spent all of last season out of football after a solid career at Nebraska, Nunn has impressed throughout camp with a series of acrobatic catches. Against New York, he pulled in three passes for 64 yards, and also had a 49-yard kickoff return in the second quarter that set up the Patriots' first offensive touchdown of the night.

As has become the norm for New England in the last preseason game, hardly any starters took part in the game, though the entire team was in uniform on the sidelines and went through pre-game warmups. Linebacker Pierre Woods, receiver Greg Lewis and tight end Benjamin Watson were the only notable players to see time, though the fact that Watson played until the very end can't be a good sign for the former first-rounder.

The Giants' Eli Manning started and played one series, going 3-for-3 for 76 yards and a touchdown against a Pats' defense that started Patrick Chung, Matthew Slater, Roderick Rogers and Jamar Love in the secondary.

David Carr, the number one overall pick in 2002 for Houston who has never quite panned out, then followed and looked good as well, going 6-for-6 for 153 yards.

New England was down 21-0 before 10 minutes had passed in the first quarter. Safety Brandon McGowan, the only member of the secondary with any NFL experience, had an interception return for a touchdown off third-stringer Andre Woodson for the Patriots' first points of the night.

-- SHALISE MANZA YOUNG