Jets Beat Champs in Sloppy Affair

JETS 10

GIANTS 7

Usually the third preseason game is a dress rehearsal for the starters to showcase what they will be in the regular season, and if this game is any indication, than maybe New Yorkers and New Jerseyans should hold off on reserving hotels in Tampa Bay for the Super Bowl.

This was a downright mess and fiasco at the Meadowlands between the Super Bowl Champion Giants and the rejuvianted Jets. Even though the statistics say that Eli Manning and Brett Favre had good nights, neither quaterback could move their respective offenses anywhere.

Manning had trouble avoiding sacks. One of which included a huge sack on thrid and goal at the Jet 5 yard line. Manning dropped all the way back to the 20, trying to avoid defensive end Calvin Pace, but he couldn't pull off another miracle as he was sacked for a huge loss. New Giant kicker Jeff Houston proceeded to miss a field goal that ended the first half in a scoreless tie.

As for the Jets offense they could nothing right. Whenever the Jets got some positive yardage a flag was called because of holding or facemask penatlies on the offensive line. Two plays in particular stand out. On one play, Favre was trying to desperately avoid a sack and heaved the ball down the field, to a Brad Smith who was singled covered down the sideline. Smith made a terrific one-handed grab that would have given the Jets a first down at the Giant 15 yard line, but it was called back because of a Jet penalty.

Later in the second quarter, Favre found Jerricho Cothery streaking down the sideline and hit him from 49 yards out for a touchdown, but again, it was called back because of a face-mask on the Jets. Just plain sloppy. Even Favre struggled a bit, as he overthrew some recievers, or shrank in front of pressure, dumping the ball off to his running backs who were unable to get much seperation from the converging linebackers.

The backups somehow found a way to score. Brett Ratliff hit Paul Raymound in the endzone from 24 yards out to give the Jets a 10-7 lead. The game would end by that score.