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East Rutherford – A lot to get into from Saturday night’s preseason game between the Jets and Giants. Let’s get started . . .
Cornerback Marcus Williams had a terrific game leading the team with three defensed passes . . .
Linebacker Julian Stanford led the Jets with seven tackles, and also led the Jets for two tackles for losses. He deserves to be in consideration for a starting role, but politics will prevent it . . .
The Jets’ return situation is still not great – nobody distinguished themselves as either a kick or punt returner this week. I think they are just waiting for Lucky Whitehead to come back and he will be the guy.
But who knows when he will be back. I saw him in the building the other day wheeling himself around with one leg on a scooter and he was pushing with the other leg . . .
Chad Hanson was called for offensive pass interference late, but aside from that he was very impressive.
He reminds me so much of Eric Decker with his size, hands and ability to find soft-spots in zones. Jets are essentially getting a Decker-type receiver for a 1/10th of the price and Decker (ankle) is hurt again . . .
This might surprise some people, but I think Mike Pennel is going to beat out Dion Simon for the backup nose tackle job. He just makes more plays. Simons is too inconsistent, and lets his pad level rise too much . . .
Wide receiver Ardarius Stewart had his coming out party tonight, leading the Jets with five catches, two going for touchdowns. He reminds me of another Birmingham wide receiver who played for the Jets – Jerricho Cotchery . . .
Running back Elijah McGuire had a nice catch and run for 20 yards late in the game. The guy is going to be a weapon in the Jets’ passing game – he has great hands and if nifty running after the catch . . .
A guy who has quietly had a very good summer is tight end Chris Gragg. The former Buffalo Bill had a good camp and had a terrific game tonight with five catches. He’s a good blocker, and has very good straight-line speed. He ran a legit 4.5 forty at the combine. I think this Arkansas Razorback is going to make it, especially with Austin Seferian-Jenkins suspended the first two games . . .
Linebacker Spencer Paysinger was limping around the locker room after that game headed to the trainer’s room with some kind of leg or ankle injury . . .
Dylan Donahue’s left shoulder is pretty messed up. He plays with it strapped in, and after the game, he had is heavily wrapped in ice . . .
The Kabuki Theatre QB competition continues as Todd Bowles refuses to name a winner. He said he needs to look at the film of this game.
So let’s get this straight. Tonight, Christian Hackenberg threw two pick sixes and finished with a 51 QB rating, and the competition continues? And keep something in mind, if Hackenberg didn’t come in the game after Petty hurt his knee late in the game, and toss a late TD to wide receiver Frankie Hammond, he would have finished with his first half QB rating of 23.6.
So what does Bowles need to look at?
Bryce Petty did some nice things against the Giants backups in the second half, but then hurt his knee late, probably an MCL sprain, which is a 4-6 week injury.
Look, I’m not writing off Christian Hackenberg; he’s only 22 and in a new offense, but this QB competition is a joke.
And this idea that Josh McCown only needs one series in the preseason on a new team is very dangerous approach. If Tom Brady needed to play the first half against Detroit last night in the third preseason game, why wouldn’t McCown need the work? . . .
Leonard Williams had his right wrist wrapped and was congratulating people with just his left hand coming off the field, but it doesn’t look like it’s the kind of injury that will keep him out of the opener.
August 26, 2017
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