Big Blue v. Gang Green

Fat Francesa opened his talk show today with this: “Tonight, the Jets and Giants will square off in The New Giants Stadium.” Let the banter begin.

Move over big blue, Gang Green is coming to town.

With the Jets hogging the limelight this summer, it would be an understatement to say that tonight’s preseason game will pack a little more punch than usual for a preseason opener. Of all the Jets’ preseason openers, this might be one of the more memorable ones. (The game will be the first in The New Meadowlands Stadium, and will feature the Jets Ring of Honor induction ceremony at halftime.) 

So it won’t be as amped as Monday, the 13^th of September, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be exciting to watch. Here’s what to watch for in tonight’s game:

Will injuries of yore reappear or be forgotten? Jenkins’ knee will catch a glimpse of game-time action in the first quarter, assuming the defensive centerpiece plays no further than the first 15 minutes. We’ve seen his knee survive some full-contact goal line drills, but now he’ll face the truest test. Cromartie, too, seems to have hushed those who questioned the disappearance of a nagging hip injury, but we’ll see just how smooth his backpedals and breaks are in game-time speed. Finally, it’s been easy to forget that Mark Sanchez is coming off of a major off-season knee surgery with all the reassurance players, coaches, and journalists have been dishing out; the deepest sigh of relief will come tonight if Sanchez gets up from some gasp-inducing hits. Look for players to be extra-cautious with the rainy forecast.

Who will stand out among the various players battling for starting positions? Matt Slauson and Vlad Ducasse. Shonn Greene and LaDanian Tomlinson. Tony Richardson and The Terminator. We’ve read about players pushing one another and battling for the top spot. Now we’ll see who goes out and earns the top spots. Just one preseason game isn’t enough to jump to conclusions, but it certainly could be enough to give certain players the upper hand in these position battles. Keep an eye on how Rex Ryan balances his urge to show off questioned veterans with his tendency to rest the older guys’ legs.

Who will shine in the last three quarters of this football game? Let’s not forget that this game is mostly about the guys trying to make the team. Despite all the hype and headliners about the starters, this is the time for the guys behind the scenes to shine. With the skies looking like they did during the 40-day flood, expect there to be the opportunity for big plays… and big mistakes. For guys like Woodhead and McKnight, I’d recommend holding onto the ball very, very tightly.

I’ll be looking forward to tonight, with my DVR set. Can’t wait to see some of the new faces under the bright, green lights.

Stay tuned.