Game overview:
I hate this preseason game every year. ‘The Battle for New York’...and ‘this is for bragging rights in New York’! I say this every year: Who in the world is bragging about a victory in this meaningless game...a game where Aaron Rodgers took on Tommy DeVito in an early-game mismatch preseason affair.
The Jets played their (mostly) 1st-team offense and defense while the Giants countered with the ‘B’ team. The Jets 1st-team produced a scoring drive on their 2nd-drive to take a 7-0 lead, and Rodgers and the 1st-team Jets started to leave...it was a sloppy, uninspiring draw from there.
It was the Aaron Rodgers Jets debut...his first preseason game since 2018. We’ll start by reviewing his work.
Scouting Notes from the game:
-- Aaron Rodgers (5-8 for 47 yards, 1 TD/0 INT) played two series, threw a TD pass to Garrett Wilson (3-30-1/3) and then left.
The first drive was choppy, because Rodgers was under some pressure due to that problematic O-Line that struggled on-and-off with the Giants 2nd-team D. The second drive went a little smoother.
Everything looked like normal Aaron Rodgers, but the pressure was an issue on some drop backs, and it made you wonder what might happen come Week 1 when they’re facing a real defensive pressure...and that’s been a worry/discussion for weeks with the Jets.
G.Wilson was Rodgers’ favorite target...that was clear...there might not be much of an adjustment period between them, we’ll see. Allen Lazard (DNP) did not play, so we don’t know what will happen when Rodgers has all the starting WRs.
All in all, for Rodgers...it was fine (and brief). Not great, but not terrible. No real revelations.
-- The noticeable thing from this game was the Jets defense...granted, it was the 1st-team defense for a flash against Tyrod Taylor. That defense is confident and aggressive. It’s likely going to be able to carry/help a flailing offense, if it flails due to the O-Line.
If that’s true, then you know how to project the Jets offense? A lot of running the ball...potentially, a northeast version of the Falcons. Defensive-based coaches LOVE the run game for a variety of reasons, but mostly (after self-interest) is -- so when they get fired, they can go back to being defensive coordinators.
We’ll mock Robert Saleh for his head coaching job, if the Jets fail...but we won’t mock his defense here, and the team he goes to (likely SF in 2024, if NYJ doesn’t make the playoffs)...those fans will feel like they hit the lottery with him as their new D-C.
If this is close to true -- it means a heavy run game is coming. It means Dalvin Cook wasn’t added, inexplicably, to Breece Hall and Carter-Abanikanda-Knight because Rodgers has a fetish from facing Cook for years...it means this team is going to try to win through defense, a heavy run game, and a smart QB who can pull things out of the fire from time-to-time.
It means Aaron Rodgers isn’t going to be unleashed. Why would they? If this was about personal stats for Rodgers, he’d have gone to a dome team or the 49ers, or any number of better places. What if this is about Rodgers, who runs the team now, understanding the situation and helping fortify around the defense and run game? Less stress on Rodgers (and the O-Line) for that too.
The Jets, given the weather, should be a run heavy team. Given their defense, it should be a run heavy team. With a run heavy team -- there’s room for Breece Hall AND Dalvin Cook...not one or the other.
That would also mean the Jets-DST can shake off a tough early schedule and be FF-viable...but there’s other DSTs, lesser DSTs, with great schedules who are as/more viable...but the Jets-DST isn’t un-viable because of the tough schedule.
...unless Sauce Gardner gets hurt, then this team is a sub-.500 team and shakier defense.
-- Jets receiver notes...
Rookie UDFA Xavier Gibson (7-79-0/10) had a nice game...he’s proven to be viable. A lesser talent Amon-Ra St. Brown hopeful...but one that’s easy to overlook for NYJ/the NFL because of draft stock. He’s more journeyman than not at this stage, but there’s hope for an upside better than that.
Garrett Wilson (3-30-1/3) looked ‘jazzed’ in this game...knowing he was working with a QB who could get him the ball. Abusing the NYG 2nd-team corners is fun but maybe not a harbinger. Tre’Davious White, Trevon Diggs, Christian Gonzalez, KC, Pat Surtain, Bradberry/Slay, BYE the first 6 weeks...you can FF-have him; I’ll look elsewhere.
Mecole Hardman (2-17-0/3) worked with the 1st-team (no Lazard, no Cobb = Rodgers BFFs) and the 2nd-team. I think Hardman may wind up a 4th WR...or #3 who plays equal/less snaps than Cobb.
-- Less exciting notes on the NYG side, because they rolled out a young, lesser-talented 2nd/3rd-team offense against the aggressive Jets...and, still, NYG was one score out in the end.
Rookie UDFA QB Tommy DeVito (19-29 for 210 yards, 1 TD/1 INT, 6-33-0) showed enough this preseason to make the team. Nice work from a UDFA...college QBs keep getting better and better...
-- The Giants have to be in the market for a #2/3 RB during the cutdown days ahead, because they did not acquire anything great this offseason behind Saquon...
Drafted rookie Eric Gray (7-11-0) should be cut...but he probably won’t be.
2nd-year UDFA Jashaun Corbin (6-6-1, 2-11-0/3) looks much more viable, but is so inexperienced.
-- NYG receiver notes...
Jalin Hyatt (0-0-0/1) didn’t record a catch, but he had two targets...the first one didn’t count -- the first offensive play of the game for NYG, and Hyatt put a double move on Sauce Gardner and left him in the dust sprinting deep. But, of course, noodle arm Tyrod Taylor radically under threw it and caused a P.I. from the adjustments needed to the wounded duck.
Hyatt is going to be an erratic FF gamble week-to-week 2023...some 2-70-1/4 games mixed with 1-11-0/3 games.
TE Lawrence Cager (3-24-0/3) continues to develop under Darren Waller.
The TE that keeps catching my eye from NYG is UDFA rookie Ryan Jones (2-11-0/3) -- he has a burst that transcends his Pro Day 4.81 40-time and I see the 7.10 three-cone at 240 pounds. He’s strong as an ox. As he runs like a natural athlete/busting bronco -- and all that leads to him being a great blocker, he has a gift there. He’s more of a nifty NFL piece than an FF one -- I’m just noting, if your favorite NFL team grabs him after NYG cuts him, before they can stow him on the practice squad...then you got a personnel department on your team that has its eyes open.
But I don’t think anyone in NFL personnel departments really watches the preseason beyond the ‘names’ and/or doesn’t know what they’re looking for anyway -- so Jones will get cut and get stashed, which would be smart of NYG. If he makes the 53-man, then I applaud NYG...but his position and experience right now is maybe not a need right away...when they know they can stash him.
Jones was a college linebacker at Oklahoma for two years and turned TE/FB at East Carolina his last two college seasons.
-- One last note, on a 1st-round draft pick IDP from 2022 for NYJ...I think I might get the Will McDonald reach in 2023 afterall...
EDGE Jermaine Johnson (2 tackles, 1 sack) looks not-good...he moves like he’s got a 10 pounds of lead in his arse. I hadn’t noticed it in prior games this preseason. Not sure if he’s hurt or out of shape/flexibility or what...but it does not look good/explosive.
