In-depth analysis - Giants "at" Jets (Preseason Week 3): Offense

Over the course of the next few days, we'll be breaking down the performance of every player that took the field in the Jets' preseason game against the Giants. We'll continue today with a look at the offense.

Quarterbacks: Klubbed to Death

With a final chance to make an impression against backups Cade Klubnik did not respond well. He only completed six of 13 passes and, although there were a few drops, his ball placement wasn't ideal even on a few of his completions. Although he led a touchdown drive, that was a 10-play drive with 10 runs.

His worst play saw him throw an interception on a sail concept. You'll note that he messed up one of these in the first preseason game, by throwing it to the underneath option when he had a couple of open downfield options. This time, the underneath option was wide open and the intermediate option simply wasn't there. To see him struggling with a play that is usually fed to backups as it can be considered an easy read is disconcerting.

Seeing him unaware as the clock ran out on third down for a delay of game on third down was also troubling.

Having started off 4-for-10, Klubnik at least completed a couple of passes downfield for the first time late in the first half, and had another downfield completion negated for a penalty after avoiding a sack and keeping his eyes up to find a man downfield.

Overall, the preseason campaign as a whole was very spotty from Klubnik, and the Jets probably need a better number two option.

Bailey Zappe's day couldn't have done much worse. He was in for three drives, all of them 3-and-outs, and the Jets had minus-three net yards on those. He was sacked twice, almost got his receiver decapitated on a hospital pass and somehow threw a pass that hit one of his own linemen in the face.

Brady Cook was arguably the most successful quarterback of the three, although he just completed three short passes on his six attempts. He had a first down run on a keeper as he took the team 40 yards in nine plays to get in range for a field goal attempt on his lone drive. One of his passes was deflected and almost intercepted though.

It sucks for Cook that the Giants ran out the last seven and a half minutes so he couldn't get another set of reps but he obviously wasn't going to be on the 53 anyway and still has a chance to be on the practice squad if the Jets don't make a move for a backup.

DNP: Geno Smith

Running Backs: The Tragically Chip

Chip Trayanum looked set to get a big workload this week, as he carried nine times for 30 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive. Thereafter, he only carried three more times for eight yards in the rest of the first half and was carted off after a big hit on the last snap of the second quarter.

Trayanum ended up with 63 yards on 14 touches as he also had the longest play of the day; a 22-yard catch and run on a blown coverage.

One of the newest Jets, Dominic Richardson got off to a good start on a nine-yard run on this excellently blocked counter play.

Thereafter, though, the yardage dried up for him too as his other four carries only went for four yards. He did have a short yardage conversion and broke a tackle in the flat on a 12-yard pass, though. In pass protection, he really struggled, as he failed to pick up three blitzes.

Kene Nwangwu actually played three snaps in the fourth quarter but the Jets probably didn't intend for him to play until Richardson got hurt and then had little choice. He stayed in to pass protect a few times but didn't touch the ball.

Ultimately, Trayanum and Richardson were placed on injured reserve and Nwangwu is on the initial 53 as the number one kickoff returner, as expected.

DNP: Isaiah Davis, Breece Hall, Braelon Allen

Offensive Line: The Young and the Restless

The offensive line wasn't great, especially the second unit because, when Zappe was in, the Giants created constant pressure.

The first unit blocked well on the opening drive and this was a really well blocked play from later on.

Looking at all five linemen here, each makes a contribution. Left tackle Max Mitchell keeps his man sealed to the outside, left guard Marquis Hayes and center Xavier Newman completely control their man with a double-team block and the right side of the line also works well together as right guard Kohl Levao helps right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor to control his man and then climbs to the second level.

Mitchell had mixed results in the running game, doing well on a couple of short yardage conversions on the first drive, but Okorafor got beaten a couple of times in pass protection.

Levao and Newman had mixed results in the running game but Levao gave up a bad sack and Newman had a couple of bad snaps and a penalty where he leaked downfield on a pass play. The bad snaps are probably the main reason why Newman was cut and Jordan Meredith was brought in.

Rookie Anez Cooper was with the twos again this week and made a couple of good run blocks. His shoulder injury came on a play where his man almost had a sack but missed the tackle.

When Cooper left the game, Marquis Hayes moved back up to the second unit, although he came in at left guard. Levao moved to right guard. Earlier, he had seen time at center too, with Newman moving to guard, so Levao played all three interior spots. That's probably the value that enabled him to make the initial 53, although his spot there is somewhat tenuous and he will probably end up on the practice squad.

Hayes, who stayed at left guard with the third unit after halftime, was the player who Zappe hit in the face with a pass, after he allowed interior pressure.

Also on the third unit, left tackle Courtland Ford got beaten three times in pass protection and right tackle Landon Young gave up a pressure that led to a sack. Each of the third team tackles had a poor preseason.

At left guard, undrafted rookie Xavier Hill once again didn't fare too badly. His man recorded a sack on one play but that was more of a clean-up than Hill being beaten.

Finally, Liam Fornadel was the third-team center and was stood up on one run that was bottled up.

DNP: Olu Fashanu, Armand Membou, Dylan Parham, Josh Myers, Joe Tippmann

Tight Ends and Fullbacks: Beck's against the wall

Jelani Woods, who has been on the bubble throughout camp, saw action this week and caught two short passes. However, it was his blocking that impressed a few times on the opening drive. He had the key block on Trayanum's touchdown run.

Andrew Beck has only played tight end in preseason and he's been on the field late into games, but the Jets want a fullback on the roster, so they retained both Beck and Woods. That may change once Kenyon Sadiq is healthy.

With Chase Curtis hurt, Connor Hulstein got some good playing time and led the Jets with three receptions, albeit that they were all short passes. He struggled as a blocker though, allowing one run to be bottled up and whiffing at the line on two plays that were blown up in the backfield.

DNP: Kenyon Sadiq, Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert, Chase Curtis

Wide Receivers: Unhappy Camper

Undrafted rookie Malik McClain had a good chance to make the team with a good performance here, but he dropped his only target. He did have a first down catch negated by a penalty and one good run block.

Ultimately, McClain, Quincy Skinner and Junior Bergen failed to catch a pass on seven combined targets. Bergen also had one off his hands and got nailed on Zappe's hospital pass. At least Skinner contributed a first down by drawing a pass interference penalty.

Cam Camper was really the only receiver who achieved anything, as he caught 14 and 12 yards passes. He ran a good route to get open for this pass from Klubnik:

He also had a play where he initially made a spectacular one-handed catch but couldn't complete it as the defensive player knocked the ball loose, and another where he not only got called for a push-off but also dropped the pass anyway.

Finally, Arian Smith's quiet preseason saw him catch a short pass underneath on his only target. However, he surprisingly still made the roster...for now.

DNP: Garrett Wilson, AD Mitchell, Tim Patrick, Isaiah Williams, Omar Cooper, Jamaal Pritchett

We'll be back to cover the defense tomorrow...