Fans of the New York Jets and the New York Giants both believe that they support the best team that resides in MetLife Stadium. And while Saturday’s preseason game between the two teams won’t prove either side right definitively, it will offer the chance for bragging rights between these sets of fans. More importantly, this game will provide the first look at Zach Wilson as an NFL quarterback.
New York Jets
The New York Jets drafted Zach Wilson second overall in the most recent NFL Draft, with the BYU quarterback being chosen to be the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future. Now the question is just how much playing time Wilson will get in his first preseason contest. Common sense would indicate that he would get more than the typical one series that an NFL starting quarterback would get, but that depends on how the Jets want to get him integrated into their team.
Wilson is going to have to play well right away in New York, where fans are known to turn on players at unreasonably early points in their careers. If Wilson can start that process in the preseason, eliminating all doubt as to what he can do before the regular season begins, that will be a bonus for the Jets.
Elsewhere, the Jets are a team that has a lot of positions where players can earn playing time by performing well in the preseason. Skill positions like wide receiver aren’t filled with top-tier talent all the way down the depth chart, while there are plenty of spots on defense that could see younger players earn roles as well. Given how much the Jets struggled last year, they will be one of the teams that really values the preseason from a talent evaluation standpoint.
New York Giants
The New York Giants find themselves in a difficult spot at the quarterback position heading into this season. They have pegged Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback and don’t really have a viable second option behind him. Because of that, Jones will not play in the preseason opener against the Jets, even if his play on the field suggests that he should absolutely be getting more repetitions before this season starts to help him improve.
Instead, the Giants are going to use plenty of Mike Glennon and Clayton Thorson at quarterback in this game against the Jets. Unlike most teams, who carry four quarterbacks during the preseason, the Giants have opted to skip that step and stick with three. But this is still a crucial time for Thorson, who will look to prove that he belongs on the roster and that he should not be cut for another third-stringer before the season starts.
The Pick: Under 35
In this game, it would be unwise to expect much from the Giants offensively, given that they will not be giving their starting quarterback any playing time. But the Jets are a question mark offensively in their own right, as they will be starting a quarterback that has yet to see an NFL field. Even if Zach Wilson plays well, the backups on both sides should make sure that the under coasts in for this Battle of New York teams.
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