A look back at Jets preseason opener

[Kentucky Jet]

A look back at Jets' preseason opener against Giants

Published: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 4:00 PM Updated: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 4:43 PM

Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

Mark Sanchez was so excited to play a football game Monday night, in the brand-new $1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium, that he even thought the post-game press conference was “pretty fun.”

Sounds like someone who’s been waiting a long time for the season to start.

The Jets quarterback and his teammates played their first preseason game Monday night, a 31-16 loss to the Giants. That means it’s also time for this year’s first game review.

Coach Rex Ryan took a different approach to the preseason opener this year since there was such a long wait, having his starters play almost the entire first half (a few defensive linemen were the first to sub out at the tail end of the second quarter). The starters won’t play past the first quarter in Saturday’s trip to Carolina, Ryan said.

Here’s your look back (and I’m a rookie this season, so bear with me as I figure out what format to use):

WHAT WAS GOOD

QB Mark Sanchez

He had the terrible beginning, getting picked off by S Antrel Rolle on his very first throw of the game. And he later overshot WR Brad Smith on a possibly risky throw to the end zone, with CB Aaron Ross on coverage and Rolle closing in. But it was obvious that Sanchez’s command of the game and presence of mind were a major improvement from his up-and-down rookie season.

The best example, of course, is the way he chipped away for 8:42 to lead his team on a 14-play, 68-yard touchdown drive, undeterred by the gnarly interception. He saw space underneath in the Giants defense, and wasn’t afraid to check down to short passes to RBs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene. He also picked up on the Giants’ defensive confusion on the final play of that drive, when they had too many men on the field, and made sure to get the play off quickly – a 4-yard touchdown pass to Smith.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson

Tomlinson was asked if he was nervous for this game, perhaps an odd consideration for a future Hall of Famer. But it’s relevant because the 31 year old has something to prove this season, faced with questions about how much he has left in the tank.

He responded by touching the ball nine times last night, showing himself to be the versatile addition to the backfield the coaches were looking for. On third-and-13 in the first quarter, he was the player Sanchez turned to, taking a short pass and cutting upfield – past a missed tackle by Giants CB Terrell Thomas. The 14-yard catch set up Sanchez’s touchdown to Smith on the next play.

WR Santonio Holmes

Who traded for this guy? I heard somewhere he’s a “smart S.O.B.” Seriously, though, Holmes is one heck of a receiver and you know the Jets are already looking forward to his return in Week 5 after his four-game suspension. One of the things receivers coach Henry Ellard mentioned the other week was how great of a route-runner Holmes is, and that was abundantly clear last night.

Holmes only took a handful of reps with Sanchez, but stayed in the game deep into the third quarter, and QB Kellen Clemens exploited the former Super Bowl MVP’s mismatch with reserve Giants CB D.J. Johnson. Holmes had four catches for 55 yards.

Holmes is excellent at selling the deep route, then planting and abruptly coming back for the ball after the defender has already been pushed deep. He did that on two catches along the sideline, one for 13 yards and one for 18 yards. He also gets nice separation, like when he swung his left arm to get rid of press coverage on an in cut and made an 18-yard catch on third-and-9.

S Eric Smith

Smith was one of three game captains last night, along with Sanchez and LB Bart Scott, presumably representing the offense, defense and special teams. Smith certainly stood out on special teams last night. He came around the left side of the formation on a first-quarter punt, past personal protector Andre Brown, to block the attempt from rookie Matt Dodge. He’s an excellent open-field tackler, taking down Ross on a punt return later in the game.

On defense, in with the second team, he came through untouched on an overload blitz to pressure back-up Giants QB Jim Sorgi on a third-and-9 in the third quarter (the Giants punted).

WHAT WASN’T

Depth at cornerback

This is a pressing issue for two reasons: 1) Ryan likes to keep a ton of cornerbacks on his roster and deploy them en masse in varied sub packages. 2) The Jets are, of course, still waiting for All-Pro CB Darrelle Revis, who has been holding out for a new contract for 17 days and counting.

The starters Monday night were Antonio Cromartie and first-round pick Kyle Wilson, both of whom Ryan said he was pleased with. Cromartie showed his speed and skill in blanketing receivers – but he has to come down with those two near-interceptions. One was on a really nice play when he identified the route by WR Hakeem Nicks and was able to cut under it. But it would have been an even nicer play if he was able to look in the ball and make the catch. Wilson didn’t stick out too much, probably a good thing for a rookie corner.

But behind them, Ryan was concerned. Against the Jets’ reserves, Cruz – an undrafted rookie – looked like an All-Pro, with six catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

CB Dwight Lowery was covering him on his 64-yard touchdown up the left sideline. It looked like Cruz put his right hand to Lowery’s facemask, but regardless he hauled in the pass one-handed and took off for the end zone. His next score was a 34-yard touchdown when Ryan said there was a defensive miscommunication. The inside linebacker – I think Lance Laury in this case – didn’t run with the vertical hook route, meaning the safety – I think, Eric Smith – had to cover the tight end instead of being over top of the cornerback. Cruz released from CB Drew Coleman and raced up the sideline for the score.

Cruz made it a hat trick with a 5-yard TD catch from QB Rhett Bomar on CB Marquice Cole. Bomar exploited the match-up and even though Cole’s coverage wasn’t terrible, put the ball on his receiver’s back shoulder for the score.

After the game, Lowery -- who played on the outside in nickel packages and then worked at cornerback with the second-team defense -- said he was frustrated for not making plays. He did swat away a Sorgi pass for WR Derek Hagan early in the second half, but was kicking himself for Cruz’s TD and another 21-yard catch when he let Cruz come back for the ball.

Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw’s 51-yard play

This was the one big gaffe by the Jets’ first-team defense. DE Shaun Ellis looked to be in position to sack Eli Manning, but the Giants QB slipped out. S Brodney Pool had come up on the blitz, but tripped on Bradshaw. Somehow Manning pulled off a little shovel pass to Bradshaw – “one of those backyard things,” Ryan said -- who took off upfield.

He evaded DL Mike DeVito’s pursuit, then S Jim Leonhard took a bad angle and Cromartie seemed in no position to stop him. Finally, Pool – who made a great effort to run him down – tackled Bradshaw 51 yards later.

Red-zone penalties

The Jets’ first-team offense had four penalties in the red zone: A false start by RT Damien Woody, holding by LG Matt Slauson, holding by C Rob Turner (to nullify a Tomlinson TD) and a false start by Ben Hartsock. The Jets settled for field goals on the drives with those last two penalties.

WHAT ELSE

Ryan said he was interested to see how rookie RB Joe McKnight would do in his first preseason game, particularly if he would run with more authority between the tackles. The fourth-round pick did not stand out, picking up 32 yards on 13 carries, an average of 2.5 yards. He did have one really nice play on an outside run, though, when he stiff-armed S John Busing to pick up eight yards (FB John Conner, by the way, had a great block on LB Chase Blackburn on that play).

LB Bryan Thomas made a nice tackle for a loss of four yards on Bradshaw on the first play of the game.

On the Giants' first offensive series, the Jets defense got after its opponent on third down with a zero-coverage blitz with Leonhard and Pool coming through on the right side. The Giants went three-and-out.

DL Sione Pouha looked to be in on each of the first two goal-line stops of RB Brandon Jacobs (he got in on the third try). On the first one, Pouha dove over the top to help stop Jacobs from behind.

Mentioned Cole above, but he made a nice play in the second quarter to blow up a screen to WR Mario Manningham on third down.

WR Larry Taylor said he was surprised to be used on so many punt and kick returns. He was back for every punt, returning one for six yards, and returned three kickoffs for an average of 25 yards. The former CFL returner said he realizes his best chance for a roster spot is through special teams.

“If I’m going to be able to make this ball club, it’s got to be through special teams,” Taylor said. “Brad Smith being the starting kick returner, and Jim being the starting punt returner, both those guys are helping me out and putting me in a good position to be able to make the ball club.”

Woody had the false start penalty on the Jets’ touchdown drive. He later gave up a sack to Giants rookie Jason Pierre-Paul, who slipped around him.

The only healthy and active who didn’t get on the field, according to the official gamebook, was WR Vic Hall. But the same gamebook also listed G Marlon Davis, who was waived last week, and said that Revis was a substitution. So take that for what it’s worth.

POSITION BATTLES

Fullback

16-year veteran Tony Richardson started at fullback and made a really nice block on Giants strong-side LB Clint Sintim on an 8-yard run by Greene in the first quarter. But Conner, the rookie Ryan said is “pushing” Richardson, also took some reps with the first-team defense (I mentioned one of his nice blocks with the reserves above).

The team could very likely keep both. Conner played on several special teams units Monday night as well.

Third-string Quarterback

Clemens had a good game, completing 7-of-10 passes for 84 yards, making smart and frequent use of Holmes. Two of his passes to Holmes converted third downs. Clemens was the second quarterback in the game after Sanchez, even though Ryan made it clear last week Mark Brunell was the “predetermined” No. 2. Clemens said he was told the night before he’d have a shot early to show what he can do. He could be showing the Jets as he vies for the No. 3 job … or other teams, as possible trade bait.

Either way, he definitely out-performed Kevin O’Connell, who made an athletic scramble for the end zone but was 8-for-13 with two interceptions.

Back-up inside linebacker

Ryan said the other week that nobody had really reached out and grabbed this position yet, and that doesn’t seem to have changed after the first preseason game. Laury and Kenwin Cummings each took a ton of reps, with third-teamers Brashon Satele (ankle) and Josh Mauga (concussion) out. Each had a mix of good tackles and not-so-good plays.

Left Guard

It’s somewhat hard to compare since Slauson went up against the Giants first-team defense, and rookie Vladimir Ducasse was in against the second-team. Slauson said he wished he had a few pass plays back – probably including the hold on DT Chris Canty -- but thought he graded out decently. Ducasse seemed to hold up well.