The New York Jets defense suffocated the New York Giants offense in a 21-20 loss in the annual Snoopy Bowl falling to 1-2 in the preseason. The Giants struggled to get anything going as the team managed 47 total yards and were 1-of-7 on third down. They never even made it to the Jets’ side of the field the entire first half.
Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson saw his first action since and didn’t miss a beat coming off a broken leg. Wilkerson and the line disrupted the running game as the giants managed .4 yards per carry in the first half. Cornerback Darrelle Revis recorded his second interception of the pre-season which led to a Jets touchdown a couple of drives later. It will be vital for the Jets to show this type of dominance especially if offensive struggles continue.
New York Jets Preseason Week 3 Takeaways
Missing Brandon Marshall
Wide receiver Brandon Marshall did not play due to a sore hip, but his absence was noticed. The offense looked out of sorts as they missed their dynamic playmaker. Marshall sets the tone for the offense and without him the offense looked incomplete.
The first-unit offense only managed 90 yards in six series with four ending in punts. The Jets did score after wide receiver Eric Decker caught a beautiful back shoulder throw from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Receivers Robby Anderson and Jalin Marshall stepped up combining for seven receptions and 95 yards, but without Brandon Marshall the Jets offense isn’t as dynamic as it’s easier for defenders to gameplan without him.
Special Teams Shines
After a dismal season for the unit last year, the coming out party for special teams continues. New special teams coordinator Brant Boyer’s unit had another strong outing and set the tone early with a blocked punt.
Linebacker Bruce Carter and safety Rontez Miles charged in on punter Brad Wing leading to Carter’s blocked punt which was recovered at the Giants 15 yard-line. This marked the first preseason blocked punt since IK Enemkpali at Cincinnati in 2014.
The unit is succeeding because they play collectively. While there are a few standouts, the unit plays as a whole as key contributors step up during opportune times. At one point of the game, wide receiver Jeremy Ross recorded a 28-yard punt return after escaping a Dwayne Harris tackle attempt. Rookie kicker Ross Martin redeemed himself as he nailed a 55-yard field goal while wide receiver Chandler Worthy recorded a 52-yard punt return.
Special teams success will be vital for a team that lost two to three games last year due to miscues. Thus far it looks like head coach Todd Bowles decision to fire Bobby April after one season in favor of Boyer is paying off.
Quarterback Storylines Continue
None of the Jets four quarterbacks looked sharp with mental breakdowns and miscues leading to three turnovers. Fitzpatrick went 9-of-16 for 76 yards and a touchdown. He also had a costly fumble after a strip-sack by Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison while in scoring position. Fitzpatrick missed some easy throws, but was pressured often by the Giants newly rebuilt and expensive defensive line.
Geno Smith only played two series completing 3-of-5 passes for 14 yards. There wasn’t much to evaluate, but Smith didn’t commit a turnover. However, he did display great awareness in one possession when he threw the ball away rather than taking a sack. After two decent performances, Bryce Petty took a step back. With the Jets leading 10-7, Petty threw a pick-6 on a screen pass when he didn’t anticipate the underneath defender. He also only completed 50 percent of his passes.
For someone trying to earn the No. 2 quarterback job, this performance hurt his chances. While Petty has great upside, it will be a risk for the Jets to cut ties with Smith and ride with Petty as the backup. It will be interesting to see if the Jets have seen enough from Petty to warrant a spot on the 53-man roster.
Rookie second round pick Christian Hackenberg saw his first action of the preseason. While he started strong, it’s easy to see why he’s a work in progress. He finished the night going 6-for-16 for 105 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Down 14-10, Hackenberg had an impressive first drive which he capped off with a touchdown to Anderson for the lead. However, after that it wasn’t pretty. He missed easy throws and threw an interception which led to the Giants decisive score. Hackenberg may be the future of the Jets, but based on his performance, he still has a long way to go to becoming a franchise player.
