The Meadowlands was treated to one of its best introductory weeks to an NFL season in over a decade, with both the New York Giants and Jets recording week 1 wins. The last time that this feat was accomplished was in 2009, when Eli Manning was the Giants quarterback and Rex Ryan was coaching the Jets. The dominance displayed this Sunday ushers in a new era of Jets football that is highlighted by some of the league’s brightest young stars.
The first Sunday slate of football began with the Jets taking on the Titans at 1 p.m., in a game that was filled with enticing storylines. The Jets faced their former head coach Robert Saleh, who was with the team for four years and now leads the Titans. Saleh brought over many players that he had coached during his tenure with the Jets, creating a matchup against many familiar faces. The game also marked Geno Smith’s official return to the Jets, after last playing for the team in October 2016. After stints with the Giants, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders, Smith returned to the team that drafted him back in 2013.
His return could not have gotten off to a better start, leading the Jets down the field in his first drive, which ended with a 1-yard Kenyon Sadiq touchdown run. The Jets would score one more time before halftime, capping off a 78-yard drive with a made field goal. The drive was largely contributed to the strength of the Jets’ dynamic backfield of Breece Hall and Braelon Allen.
The Jets’ defense also did their part, holding the Titans to just three points in the entire first half, in addition to forcing and recovering a fumble on a kickoff in the second quarter. The Jets entered halftime with a 10-3 lead over the Titans and both sides of the ball playing well for the team.
The Jets continued to dominate at the start of the second half, forcing the Titans to punt and following that up with a 90-yard drive that included a 30-yard and 41-yard pass from Geno Smith. The drive ended in a 4-yard rushing touchdown from Breece Hall. The Jets offense continued to move towards the Titans endzone later in the quarter, recording another field goal to make it a 20-3 game. In the fourth quarter, with a rather comfortable lead, the Jets held off the Titans, on the path to a 23-10 victory.
The Giants took the field later on Sunday night, obtaining a primetime spot in their first game of the NFL season. The Giants were facing the Dallas Cowboys, who have consistently gotten the best of them in recent years, winning nine of their last 10 matchups. The Giants, however, won their most recent meeting against them.
The game started well for the Giants, who forced the Cowboys to punt early into their first drive. As the Giants took the field, it marked the beginning of quarterback Jaxson Dart’s sophomore season, where he looks to build upon his impressive rookie campaign. Additionally, it was Giants’ new head coach John Harbaugh’s first game leading the team after spending 18 years as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Further helping the team, several players, including Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers, who missed most of last season with injuries, returned to the field.
The Giants led an impressive first drive, highlighted by a 37-yard run from Dart and capped off with a 3-yard touchdown run from Cam Skattebo to open the game’s scoring. Despite getting off to a quick start, the Giants were unable to hold onto that momentum, with the Cowboys tying the game up at 7 in the second quarter. A Giants fumble shifted the momentum in the Cowboys’ favor, but the Giants quickly responded with an interception to put them in a threatening position.
The Giants capitalized on the interception, with Jaxson Dart throwing a 15-yard touchdown to tight end Isaiah Likely as time expired in the first half. Entering halftime, the Giants held a 14-7 lead with the momentum shifting in their direction.
The third quarter opened with another Giants touchdown, coming from a second Isaiah Likely receiving touchdown. The Cowboys, however, responded with a touchdown drive of their own to keep it a 7-point game. The Giants offense proved to be an issue for the Cowboys, scoring another touchdown on the following drive, scoring on a 9-yard receiving touchdown from Devin Singletary. The Cowboys scored once again to make it a 28-20 game, but the Giants ran the clock out and secured a victory for John Harbaugh’s debut with the team.
The outcomes of both games have created much optimism for football in the Meadowlands moving forward, with both the Giants and Jets starting the season off on the right note. For the Giants, Dart’s performance demonstrated that he can throw the ball and run with it at the level of some of the sport’s best players. For the Jets, Geno Smith returned to the team for the first time in almost a decade and showed that he can still lead the team to victory.