Yes, I know both teams play in New Jersey, but it just sounds cooler this way.
Anyway, the Green and White defeated Big Blue, 20-12 at The Meadowlands on Saturday night. However, who won and what the final score was isn't really that important. What's important (sort of) is seeing how the first-team offense and defense performed.
And those results were mixed. At best.
Here are some quick notes:
The Jets scored on their first play from scrimmage -- a 79-yard TD pass from Pennington to Leon Washington. That was encouraging. Too bad it was the only good thing to come from the first stringers. The Jets were stuck in neutral for the rest of the first half. And by neutral, I mean reverse. The Jets also failed to convert on the extra point. Guh!
The Jacob Bender/Adrien Clarke hybrid played terribly at left guard. This is going to be a headache for the Jets the entire season. Pennington was under constant duress in the first half and if the Giants were able to pressure the QB in a preseason game, God only knows what the Pats are going to do against the Jets when they kick it off for real in a couple of weeks.
The D continued to look spongy. The Giants were able to move the football up and down the field almost at will. The Jets toughened up in the red zone (and were helped by two missed field goals), but it looks like they are still struggling to master the 3-4 defense.
The pride of Rutgers, CB Manny Collins was abused by the Giants on Saturday night. The free-agent rookie was burned on a TD grab by Anthony Mix right before the half.
On the plus side, rookie CB Darrelle Revis saw his first action as a Jet and looked terrific. He was blanketing receivers and making tackles all game. He also returned a punt for 13 yards. I guess he showed everyone why the Jets traded up for him in the draft.
Second-round pick LB David Harris also looked good. It seems like he's really going to help the Jets stop the run this year. Lord knows they need help in that department.
Danny Ware had another solid game and looks like he's locked up the spot as the third running back. He finished with 57 yards rushing and had a nifty 16-yard TD run. He also had one reception for 18 yards.
Referee Eddie Hochuli looks like he's ready for the regular season. His arms are the size of my thighs.
Justin McCareins continued to have a hot preseason. He made a nifty catch for a 45-yard gain in the third quarter.
Kellen Clemens gave the Jets another solid performance. His play this preseason has me thinking the Jets should go with 2 QBs and have WR/RB/KR Brad Smith as the emergency quarterback instead of Marques Tuiasosopo. It will give the Jets an extra roster spot and face it, if you're going to your third-string QB, you're season is over anyway. Just look at what happened in 2005.
The Jets will finish the preseason on Thursday night in Philadelphia against the Eagles. Don't expect to see any of the vets going for long, if at all, in that game.
Then we start this sucker for real.
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