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In Part III of his breakdown of the Jets-Giants preseason game, Dan gets defensive and comes to a few conclusions, including Cro needs to play better . . .
Right before Mo Wilkerson was thrown out of the game for fighing in the third quarter, a tight end locked up Wilkerson, and Brandon Jacobs ran by him for a gain of 25 yards. Then on the next play, Giants center David Baas pancaked Kenrick Ellis, and Danny Ware ran through the hole for a gain of 13. Like I’ve said many times, Wilkerson and Ellis have the potential to be special, but right now, they are wildly inconsistent, and can at times be liabilities . . .
Ropati Pitiotua and Mike DeVito both had good games.
Ropati had a QB pressure in the fourth quarter, and had two nice run stops around the line. For a 6-8 player, he does a very nice job of playing low.
DeVito did a nice job of beating a block and slamming Jacobs on the line on a fourth-and-one early, but got no help, and the runner trickled ahead for a first down. DeVito actually started the game at nose tackle, not defensive end. He might end up playing some nose tackle because the Jets are thin there until Ellis figures things out . . .
David Harris showed he’s worth every dime of his new contract.
On the first series, he stopped a Jacobs’ sweep to the right side for no gain. In the second quarter, Harris crushed Hakeem Nicks on a crossing route, popping the ball out. Then a few plays later he had a pick . . .
Bart Scott had mixed results.
He stopped Jacobs around the line on the first series. Also on the first series, he blitzed up the middle and forced Eli Manning to throw the ball away. Scott’s best play might have been in the middle of the second quarter when he darted into the backfield and stopped Ahmad Bradshaw for a loss of three.
On a 29-yard catch-and-run by Bradshaw on the left side, Scott missed a tackle attempt when the runner cut away from him. This happened again to Scott when he attempted to tackle Danny Ware late in the first half – he cut, and got by him. Maybe it was the cleats . . .
LB Nick Bellore was the Jets top priority in the undrafted free agent class, and you could see why late in the third quarter. On back-to-back plays, he first stopped runner Andre Brown on the line, and then blitzed up the middle and sacked David Carr for a loss of 11 . . .
Antonio Cromartie was too inconsistent.
On the Giants first possession, Manning completed a back shoulder throw to Mario Manningham beating an unsuspecting Cro for a gain of 14 yards. Then in the second quarter, Manning completed a quick out to Nicks, and then Cro missed a tackle, and the play also gained 14. Late in the second quarter, Nicks beat Cro over the middle for a gain fo 16, and Cro was penalized on the play to boot. Late in the first half, Manningham beat Cro deep, but Manning overthrew him. This isn’t the play you expect from a cornerback making big money.
