Rookie signal-caller Daniel Jones got the New York Giants off to a great start and the backups finished the job in the team's 31-22 win over the New York Jets.
PFF's ReFocused series features immediate takeaways from the two analysts who graded the game live. The two offer a detailed breakdown of the game's most notable performances before the grades and advanced stats are reviewed and finalized by Senior Analysts.
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Final Score
New York Giants 34, New York Jets 22
New York Giants
Giants' defensive interior John Jenkins had the best performance of any Giants defender. He managed to push aside any interior offensive linemen the Jets threw at him. While he had a successful night rushing the passer, his greatest contributions came as the anchor for the run defense. Multiple times Thursday night, Jenkins found himself in the backfield either making tackles or forcing the ball carrier away from his intended direction.
In a small sample size, quarterback Daniel Jones was quite impressive. He completed all five of his passes for 67 yards and a nice 12-yard touchdown pass to Bennie Fowler. It will be very interesting to see how Jones progresses as we move forward.
New York Jets
Montrel Meander recorded an impressive sack on the night and made some plays in coverage, as well. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder showed some signs of lie after going undrafted in 2018 and playing zero snaps in the regular season a year ago.
He may have only played one series, but wide receiver Jamison Crowder looked like the Jets' most dynamic weapon. Crowder showed no signs of his previous injuries, and it appears as though he has already developed a great connection with quarterback Sam Darnold.
New York Giants
It was a rough night for running back Paul Perkins, who only managed nine yards on four carries and was beat numerous time as a pass-blocker. A good chunk of the pressure given up by the Giants came at the hands of Perkins. Oh, and he coughed up the football one of his receptions, as well.
Cornerback Corey Ballentine had an up-and-down night. He missed several open-field tackles and committed two penalties, including a defensive pass interference penalty. However, Ballentine bounced back, as he made a spectacular leaping grab to intercept Jets quarterback Davis Webb.
New York Jets
The Jets' offensive line could not slow down the Giants' front on Thursday night. Guard Ben Braden particularly struggled, as he could not contain any of the Giants' interior defensive linemen. Braden's poor performance along with his linemates was a big reason why the Jets couldn't muster any movement through the ground.
Second-year defensive back Parry Nickerson was beaten badly early for a long touchdown on a quick slant to Russel Shephard. Preseason Week 1 can be rough on everybody, particularly the secondary.
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