Stamford Advocate

Giants protection issues surface in loss to Jets

- COMBINED WIRE SERVICES

It’s a good thing Joe Judge didn’t play Daniel Jones behind his first-string offensive line in Saturday night’s preseason opener.

It saved Jones from two huge hits on the Giants’ first two plays from scrimmage.

Backup Mike Glennon got blasted on second down by the Jets’ Sheldon Rankins after left guard Kenny Wiggins got beaten. Then the Jets’ Bryce Huff went past right tackle Matt Peart for a third down sack and a quick three-and-out.

Judge sat almost all of his key players in this 12-7 loss, and the evening’s focus was rightfully on the NFL debut of Jets No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson at QB.

But the Giants’ early protection issues only furthered concerns about the offense, which didn’t put a point on the board until third-string QB Clayton Thorson hit Damion Willis for a 21-yard touchdown pass with 7:05 left in the fourth quarter.

Both teams had some encouragin­g or feel-good moments, outside of Wilson and Jets coach Robert Saleh getting an exhibition win.

Giants second-round pick Azeez Ojulari made an impressive shed of a Mekhi Becton block to stuff an early Jets run for a 1-yard gain.

Beleaguere­d Jets receiver Denzel Mims carried several Giants defenders for a 20-yard gain on a 3rd and 18 in the third quarter, putting a charge into Gang Green’s fans. That set up a La’Mical Perine 4-yard TD run.

Then Austrian running back Sandro Platzgumme­r broke off a 48-yard run off the right edge in the fourth quarter to dig the Giants out of their own end zone.

Platzgumme­r, playing in his first NFL game as a second-year internatio­nal pathway program addition, got mobbed by the Giants’ sideline and hugged by Saquon Barkley.

After the field position change, Giants safety Quincy Wilson and linebacker TJ Brunson forced a fumble by the Jets’ Kenny Yeboah. Corner Rodarius Williams recovered and returned it for 29 yards — a highlight on a night of lowlights for the rookie — setting up the Giants’ lone TD.

But Wiggins, starting in place of Shane Lemieux (knee), was on the wrong end of several breakdowns up front. Corey Clement fumbled in the red zone on the firstteam line’s third and final drive.

And backup left guard Kyle Murphy was carted off midway through the game with an ankle injury, depleting an already thin interior.

The O-line’s struggles were capped by a late Jets safety with second-string guard Jake Burton getting beaten and Thorson getting tackled by Jonathan Marshall and Hamilcar Rashed. Thorson was hurt on the play.

These results don’t count, but a Giants team in desperate need of rebooting its offense and O-line didn’t gain any traction. And the regular season is now less than a month away.

BRUNSON, KALU SUSTAIN MAJOR INJURIES

Second-year linebacker Brunson and defensive back Joshua Kalu sustained major injuries on Saturday.

The team announced Sunday that Brunson tore the ACL in his left knee. The South Carolina product who was drafted in the seventh round last year was hurt late in the fourth quarter of the 12-7 loss while rushing the passer.

Kalu, who started the game Saturday night in which the Giants rested their starting secondary, tore a pectoral muscle, the team said. The fourth-year veteran was signed as a free agent in the offseason.

Both injuries normally end a player’s season.

Judge did not have an update on the condition of third-string quarterbac­k Thorson. He was injured while being sandwiched on a sack in the end zone with 1:39 to play.

 ?? Corey Sipkin / Associated Press ?? Giants quarterbac­k Mike Glennon, bottom right, is sacked by Jets defensive end Bryce Huff in Saturday’s preseason game in East Rutherford, N.J.
Corey Sipkin / Associated Press Giants quarterbac­k Mike Glennon, bottom right, is sacked by Jets defensive end Bryce Huff in Saturday’s preseason game in East Rutherford, N.J.
 ?? Dustin Satloff / Getty Images ?? The Jets’ Bryce Huff sacks Giants quarterbac­k Mike Glennon, right, during Saturday’s preseason game at MetLife Stadium.
Dustin Satloff / Getty Images The Jets’ Bryce Huff sacks Giants quarterbac­k Mike Glennon, right, during Saturday’s preseason game at MetLife Stadium.

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