Rex Ryan Says Jets Defense Is 'Going To Be Outstanding'

The New York Giants totaled 327 yards of offense Monday against the New York Jets, but only three points as the Jets won, 17-3. Jets head coach Rex Ryan said afterwards that the Jets were going to have “one of the premier defenses in the league.”

“That’s [the Giants] a good football team, they made some plays on us. We missed a few, those things happen. You’re not going to be perfect, but will we end up being the best defense in football? I think so,” Ryan said. “So believe me, the least concern I have is about our defense. I think our defense is going to be outstanding. I’ve always said that and I challenge everybody: put your negative comments out there and we’ll see what happens at the end. Because I think our defense is really going to be outstanding.”

As usual, Rex does not lack for confidence. Let’s see if the Jets can prove him right.

Joe Namath Compares Plaxico Burress To Braylon Edwards ... In A Bad Way

Joe Namath is going to be revered in New York for as long as the Hall of Fame quarterback lives. The former Jets quarterback isn’t exactly doing his best to endear himself to his old team’s current players, however.

Namath did an interview with ESPN’s First Take on Tuesday morning to talk about Mark Sanchez’s play during Monday night’s game against the New York Giants, a game that matters very little considering wins and losses don’t mean anything for a couple more weeks.

After Namath was done breaking down Sanchez’s play, though, he decided to take a bit of a jab at Plaxico Burress while comparing him to former New York wide receiver Braylon Edwards — and not in a good way, either.

"When I see Burress, certainly in the past, and Edwards, their route running and adjusting, I didn’t like it — and I still don’t," Namath told ESPNNewYork.com Tuesday. "I’ll be surprised if Burress and Sanchez click well and I’ll be even more surprised if Burress, after being laid off for two years and change, is going to make it through the season."

Okay, so Namath is mostly referring to Burress and his likely being injury-prone this season, but another comment he made on Tuesday sort of reads like he’s not the biggest fan of the former Giants wideout.

"I hope he makes All-Pro, but the realistic side of me … the reality is, he’ll be damn lucky if he makes it through the season," Namath said.

Tell us how you really feel, Broadway Joe.

Plaxico Burress: To Hell And Back To The Meadowlands

Plaxico Burress faced his old Giants team on Monday night, checking off another stage on his NFL comeback tour in 2011. To explain what makes him so fascinating, let's relive 2008, and look at what a successful Plaxico redemption might mean.

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2011/8/30/2392746/plaxico-burress-new-york-jets-giants-comeback

Jets-Giants Analysis: Giants Still Their Own Worst Enemy

If you are fan of the New York Giants the fact that your team lost to the New York Jets, 17-3, Monday night should not be a concern. It is preseason, and final scores really don’t matter. How the Giants lost the game, though, should be a concern.

Coming off a season in which the Giants led the league with 42 turnovers, including a career-worst 25 interceptions by Eli Manning, had consistent special teams breakdowns and some lapses in discipline the Giants have placed heavy emphasis on trying to clean up those things.

Yet, Monday night Manning was intercepted twice — both on balls he had no business throwing. There were special teams breakdowns all over the place — including fumbled returns, long returns allowed, a blocked field goal.

There was Brandon Jacobs getting in a fight and getting tossed out. Deon Grant with a foolish personal foul penalty, too.

All of this stuff is what kept the Giants out of the playoffs the past two seasons. The Giants have the talent to be a playoff team. They won’t get there, though, if they continue being their own worst enemy.

NFL Preseason 2011: Jets Earn Early Bragging Rights, 17-3

The New York Jets won preseason bragging rights over the New York Giants Monday night with a 17-3 victory in the ‘Snoopy Bowl’ at MetLife Stadium.

The game between the two inner-city rivals was a chippy one, and Brandon Jacobs of the Giants and Muhammad Wilkerson of the Jets were ejected for trading punches in the third quarter.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez completed 8-of-16 passes for 64 yards and one touchdown. Giants quarterback Eli Manning went 15-for-30 for 200 yards, but was intercepted twice. Last season Manning threw a league-worst 25 interceptions.

Jacobs had 51 yards on 10 carries before being ejected.

The Jets will face the Philadelphia Eagles at home Thursday. The Giants finish their preseason at New England, also on Thursday.

Giants rookie punt returner Jerrel Jernigan had a horrific night, muffing three punts and fumbling a fourth when being tackled. Giants kickoff returner Devin Thomas also muffed a kick, and the kickoff return team surrendered a 68-yard return to Antonio Cromartie.

2011 NFL Odds: Jets Heavy Favorites To Make Playoffs, Giants' Odds Affected By Recent Injuries

Giants Vs. Jets: Two Eli Manning Interceptions Allow Jets To Take 7-3 Lead Into Halftime

For fans of the New York Giants and New York Jets that were hoping to see their team look sharp in each team’s third preseason game, time is running short. It’s halftime at the Meadowloands, and the Jets hold a 7-3 advantage in a fairly ugly, mistake laden first 30 minutes of play.

Per third preseason game tradition, you can expect the starters for both squads to play in the third quarter, but Tom Coughlin and Rex Ryan may give their starters only a few more series before shutting them down for the night.

For the Giants, Eli Manning went 15-for-25 with 174 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs. The two turnovers negated what was an otherwise decisive advantage for the Giants offensively. They outgained the Jets by a margin of 151 yards (224 vs. 73).

The Jets couldn’t muster much offensively. In addition to their meager 73 yards of offense, Mark Sanchez & Co. picked up just four first downs and lost possession with a fumble despite Sanchez not being sacked. Sanchez did however hit Santonio Holmes on a 17-yard touchdown strike just inside the two minute warning. Sanchez and Holmes seem to have established a solid rapport in their second year working together.

With second half action just about to begin, let’s turn our attention back to the game and check back in later with more thoughts and notes on the annual preseason clash between the two NYC teams. For immediate analysis and fan discussion, turn to Big Blue View and Gang Green Nation.

Derrick Mason On Jets-Giants Rivalry, Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan

Veteran New York Jets wide receiver Derrick Mason, acquired as a free agent a few weeks ago, joined Anita Marks on WFAN recently to discuss his new team as the season approaches.

Sports Radio Interviews has the full transcript. Here are some excerpts:

Are you coming into your own on experiencing how deep the rivalry is between the Jets and Giants?

“Yes I am. Playing for the Titans and then going from the Titans to Baltimore you never got an appreciation for the rivalry between the Jets and the Giants. But being here for the last couple of weeks you really get that appreciation.”

How good is Mark Sanchez? Give it on a scale of 1-10? Where is he at right now?

“He’s developing at the way a young quarterback needs to develop. I was with Joe [Flacco] for three years and I saw his development from year one to year three. I think Sanchez is on that roll right now. I can’t rate him from a one to a ten. I can’t give him a rating, but I think he’s on that natural progress that all young quarterbacks have to make in order to make it in this league and lead your teams to championships. I think for him what helps is that we have a very good defense, we have a very good running game and he’s been to two AFC Championship games. That will help him a lot where as with Joe [Flacco] we went to one in his first year and we played in some playoff games. For Sanchez he built up that confidence through the playoffs and you could see that this year.”

Give me the main reason as to why guys want to play for Rex Ryan?

“He’s honest. He’s not going to be one way in your face and another way behind your back. He’s Rex. He’s not going to change. Like I said he’s going to be doing it the way he has been doing it for the longest. For me that’s all I want is for a guy to be able to look at me and when they tell me something be honest about it and he has.”

Parking For Giants-Jets Preseason Game Will Be Free

The New York Giants are cutting fans planning to attend Monday night’s preseason game against the New York Jets a break. Parking for the 7 p.m. ET game at Metlife Stadium will be free.

From the Giants:

Due to the issues with mass transportation, as well as road closures, as a result of the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, the Giants have announced that parking will be free for tonight’s 7 p.m. game against the Jets.

Those ticketholders who have already purchased a pre-paid parking permit for the game will have the cost of the permit refunded or credited to the season ticket holder’s account.

Lots for tonight’s game open at 2 p.m. Those who have purchased permits will be parked in the areas for the permits they possess. Those without permits will be parked on a first-come, first-served basis in the general parking areas.

The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, but was moved due to Hurricane Irene.

NFL Preseason: Giants, Jets Gear Up For Annual Preseason Battle

For now, it’s about bragging rights. On Christmas Eve, it counts for real.

Hurricane Irene has come and gone and tonight, at the newly renamed MetLife Stadium, the New York Giants and New York Jets renew their annual preseason rivalry which this year has taken on a bit more meaning. In Week 15 the Jets will host the Giants, a game which will give one team’s fan base an early Christmas gift, and the other perhaps questioning its playoff future.

But Monday is about both teams gearing up for Week 1, as the game provides Rex Ryan and Tom Coughlin the last real chance to see what they have heading into the regular season. The starters should play into the third quarter, so the entire first half will be a good barometer of the state of New York’s football teams for 2011.

The Jets figure to be the better bet to make a deep postseason run. Having reached the AFC Championship game two years in a row, the Jets believe they have the pieces in place to get to that next plateau, the Super Bowl. Quarterback Mark Sanchez is entering his third season and will be expected to make a big leap in terms of production and leadership. The defense, as always under Ryan, figures to be one of the league’s top-rated outfits.

The Giants had a largely ineffective and perhaps downright bad offseason, letting players like Kevin Boss and Steve Smith leave town. The Giants also lost cornerback Terrell Thomas for the season in their last preseason game, and their first-round pick, cornerback Prince Amukamara, is likely to miss the season’s first four weeks with a foot injury. But they still have a Super Bowl champion quarterback under center, and one of the best pass rushing units in the league. The Giants may not be as hyped on the Jets, but they could quietly be one of the top teams in a weak NFC this season.

And then there’s Plaxico Burress, who will face the team which he helped win a Super Bowl for the first time since returning to the NFL this season as a member of the Jets. The Giants look like a team that could use the services of Burress, who, if he remains healthy, appears to still have the goods to be a top-flight receiver. The Jets gave Burress that chance while the Giants had their doubts. It will be interesting to see how Burress fares tonight and if he tries to make a statement to his former employers.

The Giants-Jets preseason game is usually as intense as a preseason game can get, and tonight should be no different. While we have to wait until Week 15 for it to really count, whoever wins tonight’s game will have an early chip on their shoulder.

Jets-Giants Moved To Monday As Hurricane Irene Approaches

Hurricane Irene, barreling up the East Coast and expected to reach New Jersey on Saturday, has forced the News York Giants vs. New York Jets preseason game scheduled Saturday at MetLife Stadium to be postponed. The teams will instead play Monday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.

Here is the statement released by the Giants, home team for this game:

“Along with the NFL office and the Jets, we have closely monitored the hurricane and the forecast and its potential impact on our area for the past several days,” said Giants President and CEO John Mara. “After conferring with (New Jersey) Governor (Chris) Christie, (Jets owner) Woody Johnson and (NFL) Commissioner (Roger) Goodell, we have determined the best course of action for the safety and well being of all is to move the game to Monday night.”

The postponement puts both teams in awkward positions when it comes to finishing their preseason schedules, as both will have to play two games with 72 hours.

The Giants finish their preseason Thursday night at New England against the Patriots. The Jets finish by hosting the Philadelphia Eagles, also on Thursday.

Jets-Giants Preseason Game Changed To 2 P.M. Due To Hurricane Irene

Saturday’s preseason game between the New York Giants and New York Jets at MetLife Stadium has been moved to a 2 p.m. ET start due to Hurricane Irene. Storms caused by Irene are expected to hit New Jersey Saturday night, and the original start time for the game had been 7 p.m.

“We moved the start time based on the weather forecast and to give everybody an opportunity to get home safely after the game,” said Giants President and CEO John Mara. “There are, obviously, many issues to consider. Our players played a game on Monday night, the stadium personnel has to secure the building post-game and, most importantly, the safety and welfare of Giants and Jets fans. We felt like this is the right thing to do.”

The Giants are the home team for the game. If you want more details on the storm and its projected path, check weather.com.

Rex Ryan: 'I Believe We Are The Best Team In New York'

In his book ‘Play Like You Mean It’ New York Jets coach Rex Ryan took some swipes at the co-owners of MetLife Stadium, the New York Giants, going so far as to say “We are the better team. We are the big brother.”

Give Ryan credit. Love him or hate him, he is consistent. He never fails to back off his prediction that the Jets will win the Super Bowl. And Thursday he did not back down when asked about his comments toward the Giants.

“I guess we get to find out on Christmas Eve (when the teams meet in a regular-season game). We will get to find out. Again, I am not backing down from one comment. I believe we are the best team in New York and the goal is to be the best in the National Football League, not just in New York,” Ryan said. “I am not backing down one bit from that statement. I believe that will be the case.”

Hurricane Irene Could Impact Jets-Giants Preseason Game

Hurricane Irene is barreling toward the East Coast and could have a major impact on Saturday’s preseason game at MetLife Stadium between the New York Giants and New York Jets.

Irene is expected to bring heavy rain to the New Jersey area Saturday night. Kickoff for Giants vs. Jets is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Jets today cancelled a practice they had scheduled at Hofstra University in Long Island due to heavy rain.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin has said he expects his starters to play 30-35 plays, and is uncertain how Hurricane Irene will impact that.

“We will see how bad it is,” Coughlin said. “I have had my head in the sand for the past two days so I really don’t know what the possibilities are. I started hearing the reports on the potential weather so I’m sure tomorrow, when I have a little more time, I can catch up on that and see what people are talking about.”

Plaxico Burress Admits Return To Giants Was Not An Option

Plaxico Burress admitted Wednesday that he met with the New York Giants after the NFL Lockout “to have some closure,” but that he never intended to return to the team he helped win a Super Bowl in 2007.

“I just wanted to go somewhere and get a fresh start. I think I deserved that, with everything that I went through, to just go somewhere that’s refreshing. The atmosphere that Rex has created here is just so beautiful and it’s contagious. I’ve come out here every day and I’m just happy to be here,” Burress said.

“I went back more to have some closure to the whole situation. It was good to see some of the people, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Steve Tisch, and be able to have an opportunity to really sit down with them face-to-face for the first time and tell them how much I appreciated them bringing me in, allowing my game to flourish and putting me in a situation where I could have success. Everything went well. It was a great meeting, but business is business and now I’m over here.”

The Jets and Giants meet Saturday in a preseason game at the newly-named Metlife Stadium. Burress said he intends to play despite tweaking his back in practice earlier this week.

“It’s just a little soreness. It’s part of football, the bumps and bruises. It’s not badminton,” Burress said. “It’s going to be fun. I’m still in contact with a lot of those guys. We definitely did something special and we have great relationships outside of football.”

Eli Manning: 'I Wasn’t Trying To Compare Myself To Tom Brady'

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning joined the Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio on Tuesday. The last time Eli talked to Kay he made his remarks about being among the NFL’s Top 5 quarterbacks.

Kay, then, had to again ask Manning about those remarks. He also had to ask him, predictably, about that Plaxico Burress guy who plays for the New York Jets.

On the big stir created by his recent comments about being an elite quarterback in the same conversation as a Tom Brady:

“Again, I wasn’t trying to compare myself to Tom Brady or compare myself to another, so quarterback, so you know, I don’t think there will be anything to worry about there.”

If there’s any truth to him not wanting the Giants to sign Plaxico Burress this offseason so that he could prove he could win without Plax:

“No, that’s never been a thought and that’s definitely not the case. It’s one of those deals where I felt like it wasn’t my position to go out there and lobby for another player. The ownership and Jerry Reese and everybody, that’s their responsibility. They’ve got things to worry about with the cap; I’ve got my other receivers and things to worry about. I just don’t think that’s my responsibility. I’ve never lobbied for another player.”

Whether anyone in the Giants organization asked him if he wanted Burress back in New York:

“No, not directly. It was just a little different, this whole offseason I couldn’t talk to anybody. Once everything kind of got settled, we’re right into practice at that point, and obviously I knew he came in and had some meetings; I asked around to see how those went and it was said that he had a great interview and seemed excited, seemed that he obviously had time to think about what he did and wanted to change his life and be committed to the team.”

“Again, I wasn’t trying to compare myself to Tom Brady or compare myself to another, so quarterback, so you know, I don’t think there will be anything to worry about there.”

— Full transcript

Plaxico Burress Uncertain For Jets-Giants With Back Issue

All the hype surrounding Saturday’s preseason meeting between the New York Giants and New York Jets will revolve around Jets receiver Plaxico Burress playing against his former team for the first time. There is only one problem — Burress might not play.

News floated onto the Twitter-verse this morning that Burress injured his back trying to catch a pass during the Jets Tuesday practice and his status for Saturday appears to be uncertain.

Jets coach Rex Ryan seems to think Burress will play.

The Jets, however, are quickly finding out how life can be with Burress — a lesson the Giants learned long ago. At 34 and out of football for more than two seasons the biggest question about Burress is whether or not he can stand up to the physical rigors of an NFL season.

His practice habits with the Giants were always questionable, even when his game-day performance was not. Thus far with the Jets Burress has already missed much of training camp and one preseason game with an ankle issue, and now this back issue pops up.

Burress did have three catches for 66 yards and a touchdown in his debut, but you just wonder how productive he can be if these types of issues continue to pop up.

Jets Vs. Giants: New York Teams To Meet

-- See Gang Green Nation for complete Jets discussion and analysis
-- See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis