Giants’ defense mostly contains Darnold-led Jets
EAST RUTHERFORD » Prized draft pick Sam Darnold made some plays with his legs Friday night at MetLife Stadium, but the Giants’ defense put forth another solid preseason showing.
In six first-half Jets drives, the Giants’ starting unit forced four three-and-outs and allowed only 4.5 yards per play. The Jets – albeit not the stiffest challenge in the trenches – generated only 2.4 yards per carry on rushes, excluding a 14-yard scramble by Darnold.
Darnold, who appears likely to start at quarterback for the Jets in Week 1, orchestrated 13 points but did most of his damage on the game’s opening drive.
The Jets drove 75 yards for a touchdown on 11 plays, which included two third-down conversions by Darnold. One was a 13yard pass to tight end Neal Sterling. The other was a 14-yard Darnold run. Two plays later, Bilal Powell scored on a 10-yard rush that gave the Jets a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
But the Giants mostly covered well in the secondary and generated enough push up front to force Darnold to maneuver uncomfortably in the pocket. While he extended some plays, the No. 3 pick out of USC also showed rookie warts, holding occasionally holding onto the ball too long and succumbing to a pass rush by defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson for an intentional grounding penalty on the Jets’ third drive.
The Jets scored a second touchdown following a fumble by Jonathan Stewart recovered by Leonard Williams for 39 yards to the Giants’ 47. Five plays later, Darnold connected on a crossing route with Terrell Pryor, who beat slot corner B.W. Webb and inside linebacker B.J. Goodson in a foot race to the sideline for a 12yard score.
Ray-Ray Armstrong, who has had a strong summer and is poised to make the roster as a backup linebacker and core special teams player, stripped Trenton Cannon for a fumble on a kickoff.
Here are other Giants observations from when the starters played during the first half:
• Tight end Evan Engram left in the second quarter and was ruled out with a concussion. Engram was shaken up after being sandwiched between two Jets linebackers on a fumble that was then overturned. Tight end Rhett Ellison was questionable to return after departing early in the game with an eye injury.
The Giants’ first-team offense was already not at full strength. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and running back Saquon Barkley were both held out as coaching decisions, so Friday didn’t offer a true evaluation of the offense’s potential.
• Still, the Giants left points on the table. Manning completed 17of-23 pass attempts for 188 yards through a successful variety of play-action plays and intermediate routes, but two of his incompletions had touchdown-potential with better accuracy.
On the Giants’ second drive, Manning underthrew a deep ball to Cody Latimer, who had corner Morris Claiborne beat deep but ended up falling backwards while making the catch.
When the Giants received the ball again, Manning overshot Engram on a pass near the sideline – another play where the Jets’ were in poor position to make a tackle.
• Of the Giants’ 19 first-half points, 12 were four field goals by Aldrick Rosas. The lone touchdown was a 55-yard punt return by Hunter Sharp.
Rosas was a perfect 6-of-6 on field goal chances through his first 10 preseason quarters.
Sharp, who has had a sporadic preseason, likely remains on a bubble for a roster spot despite the Giants giving him first-team snaps as a returner. He had two third-down drops in the receiving game against the Jets, including a wide-open look on a crossing route on third-and-6.
• Despite the limited weaponry, the Giants’ rebuilt offensive line was shaky again, especially along the right side. Williams frequently blew past right guard Patrick Omameh to disrupt the Giants’ rushing attack, which produced merely one yard on nine carries.
• Stewart has accumulated -5 rushing yards on 10 carries this preseason. The veteran back has a $3.9 cap hit and the Giants would save only $725,000 by cutting him, so his job is safe despite second-year player continuing to offer more to the offense as a secondary running back. Gallman had two catches for 19 yards during the first half.