Week 2 of the NFL season brought two very different emotions to the hearts of Jets and Giants fans. Fans of the New York Giants rejoiced in their comeback 31-28 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, their first of the season. Meanwhile, Jets fans finally saw what an Aaron Rodgers-less team could potentially look like, and it does not look good. Both teams from the Meadowlands now sit at a 1-1 record on the season, with each loss coming at the hands of Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys.
Giants Pull Off 31-28 Comeback Victory Against the Cardinals
Following a disastrous 40-0 against the Cowboys, the Giants looked to make a statement against a Cardinals team that was ranked last in NFL.com’s Week 2 power rankings. However, their struggles would continue as the Giants found themselves down 20-0 at halftime.
An inspired Giants team came out swinging in the second half, cutting their deficit down to just 7 points with 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter. After a 11-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Hodgins, the Giants found themselves in a tie game. After a huge defensive stop, Daniel Jones led the Giants into field goal range, where Graham Gano put a 34-yarder through the uprights to secure the win. The Giants scored 24 unanswered points and did not have a drive that didn’t end in either a touchdown or a field goal the entire second half.
Dallas Cowboys Pummel New York Jets 30-10
The New York Jets that we saw this Sunday were not the same as the team that pulled out a gutsy win over the Buffalo Bills last Monday. The Jets could not seem to get anything going on offense and their defense was playing uncharacteristically bad. The lone bright spot in this game came from a 68-yard TD by Garrett Wilson that showed a glimpse of what a Zach Wilson-Garrett Wilson duo could look like.
It may be easy to point the blame for this loss on Zach Wilson, who probably won’t be able to live up to the expectations that the team had with Rodgers, but he didn’t play terribly today given the circumstances. The Jets offensive line was getting pushed around left and right, being absolutely decimated by DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons, giving Zach hardly any time to throw. Zach finished with 170 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions, though they all came in the 4th quarter once the game was essentially out of reach.
What This Means Heading Into Week 3
As Week 3 approaches both teams will be put to the test, as the Giants take on one of the best teams in the NFC in the 49ers on Thursday Night Football, while the Jets will be facing the division rival Patriots, who they have not defeated since 2015. The Giants new-found momentum on offense will need to work extra hard on Thursday against an elite 49ers defense, but if they can click on all cylinders, a win is certainly within reach.
For the Jets, this seems like an extremely winnable game on paper, with a better defense and more offensive weapons, the Jets will most likely be favored heading into this game. However, you can never count out Bill Belichick, who has dominated the Jets for over two decades. The Patriots, who are 0-2 for the first time since 2001, are desperate for a win and will be playing with extra motivation, but if you couple improved play from the o-line with a bounce back game for the defense, the Jets can finally break their 8-year losing streak against the Patriots.