Jets and Giants Sad in Week 1

 

By Andrew Rosario

 

When the New York Jets opened the 2019 season against the Buffalo Bills, they jumped out to a 16-0 lead that they could not hold as the Bill came from behind to win 17-16. Last Sunday, the Bill were the host team and did have to come from behind as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead as the Jets offense sputtered down after down in the first half. How bad was it? Buffalo had 10 first downs in the first quarter. The Jets had one. 

 

Don’t let the final score (27-17) fool you. Gang Green was never in the game. Throwing salt on the wound, their main offense threat, Le’Veon Bell left the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. Before getting injured, Bell caught a 30 yard pass late in the second quarter resulting in a field goal that put them on the board (21-3) right before halftime.

 

Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, who missed 4 games after last year’s opener (Mononucleosis) finshed 21-35, 215 yards, 1 td, 1 interception and looked out of synch all afternoon. At times, he either overthrew or underthrew recievers. When he did get the ball on target, the recievers could not hold on. Said Darnold, “we didn’t execute the way that we wanted to. Especially in the first half. I put that on my shoulders. I missed way too many throws today.”

 

 

 

 

Defensively, the Jets could not contain the Bills quarterback Josh Allen who completed 33 of 46 passes for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns. Allen also ran for 57 yards and crossed the pylon once. 

 

“We just really did not play well,” Jets head coach Adam Gase said. “The disappointing aspect is just watching the guys work all week and the excitement level coming into this game. We have a lot to work on and a lot of things to get fixed.”

 

 

 

Things won’t get any easiers for the Jets Sunday when they play their first game at MetLife Stadium against the defending NFC Champion San Fransisco Forty Niners. Veteran Frank Gore will get more playing time due the injury to Bell.

 

The New York Giants began their 2020 campaign hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethisberger who is coming off elbow surgery that cost him all of last year. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, with new offensive coordiantor Jason Garrett, came into the season not having to look over his shoulder with the retirement of Eli Manning. Big Blue jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the Steelers Dionte Johnson muffs the punt as the Giants recovered but could only come away with a 21 yard Graham Gano field goal. The Steelers tied the game with a field goal (Chris Boswell 41 yard field goal) of their own before Brown would throw his first touchdown of the year. Wide Reciever Darius Slayton splits between Pittsburgh’s cornerback and safety to haul in the 41 yard touchdown pass extending the lead to 10-3. Big Ben would respond with a touchdown drive of is own ending in a 10 yard pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster. The extra point is missed as the Giants clinged to a 10-9 lead.

 

 

 

 

New York would go 3 and out on their next possession as the Steelers would take their first lead of the game. Roeslisberger taking them 78 yards in 8 plays as John Washington catches a 10 yard pass and barrels into the end zone for the final 3 yards. Neither team would score in the third quarter as the Giants missed another golden opportunity to put points on the board. Jones takes them down on a 19 play drive all the way to the  Steelers 4 yard line. Jones is forced out of the pocket and as he roles to his left Bud Dupree tips the pass attempt and the ball is intercepted in the end zone by Cameron Heyward. Said Jones of the untimely turnover, “Obviously a play I’d like to have back. That’s a costly mistake there after a long drive, so … you know, something I got to work on and improve on.”

 

Pittsburgh extended the lead (19-10) after another Boswell field goal (36 yards) as the Steelers defense turned up the pressure on the Giants offense as once again they would go 3 and out in their first 4th quarter possession. Pittsburgh put the game away as Smith-Schuster hauls in his second touchdown catch of the night from 8 yards out.

 

Slayton caught his second touchdown after the two minute warning (the 2-point conversion failed). Jones finished the night 26-41, 279 2 td’s and 2 int’s. Running back Saquan Barkley, who battled injuries all of last year, was a total non-factor gaining a paltry 6 yards on 15 carries.

 

First year head coach Joe Judge tried to take positives after the game. “I’m proud of how our guys played, he began. “Now, obviously there are some things that we have to do to clean up. The mark of a good team is improvement you can make moving on from Week 1.” 

 

Not many teams are going to win games when the offense has the ball only two times in the final quarter. The Giants travel to Chicago Sunday to take on the Bears who scored 21 unanswered points en route to a 27-23 victory over Detroit.

 

Both the Jets and Giants are banking on two young quarterbacks who were picked high in the draft. This is Darnold’s third year and Jones’ second. They both know this is not college football anymore.