Putting Aside Rivalry, Giants and Jets Seek Similar Objectives During Joint Practices This Week

As the New York Giants and Jets practice together this week in advance of their preseason game Saturday at MetLife Stadium, they will be looking at mirror images regarding priorities in preparing for the upcoming regular season.Both teams are hoping their quarterback will stay healthy; both teams hope their revamped offensive lines are worth the money spent; and both head coaches will catch plenty of heat if they don’t win this season.Forget all the notions of a heated rivalry being renewed: The teams are more focused on more selfish objectives.“The biggest focal point is you’re going out and you’re executing your basic fundamentals,” the head coach of the Jets, Robert Saleh, said during a press conference Tuesday at the Jets Florham Park facility. “You’re competing and you just want to make sure you’re representing a style of play and competing. Obviously, you always want to win in everything you do, but that’s not what’s important right now. What’s important right now is learning, growing, and preparing ourselves for Week 1.”The quarterback for the Jets, Aaron Rodgers, isn’t expected to play in the preseason game, and his Giants counterpart, Daniel Jones, won’t play much, if at all. The practice sessions are where progress must be gained, as both quarterbacks try to come back from season-ending injuries a year ago.Mr. Rodgers went down with an achilles tendon injury four snaps into the 2023 season, while Mr. Jones had a neck injury and tore his ACL and played in just six games before being lost for the year. How healthy the two remain this season will determine whether either team can compete for a playoff berth.The development of their respective offensive lines is just as important. Both teams spent plenty of money to find players who can protect the quarterback and be productive in the run game. But there are no guarantees, which is why the practice sessions this week are likely more important than Saturday’s game.The Giants are hoping their line left to right will be Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan Jr., John Michael Schmitz, Greg Van Roten, and Jermaine Eluemunor, with Aaron Stinnie and Evan Neal serving as backups. The idea was to acquire experienced players. But Mr. Schmitz has missed time with a shoulder injury, and Mr. Van Roten wasn’t signed until July 30.Mr. Eluemunor was signed after two years with the Las Vegas Raiders, while Mr. Runyan came over from the Green Bay Packers. They’ll get a good test against a stout Jets defense, which could be one of the best in the league.“They’re going to continue to improve,” the head coach for the Giants, Brian Daboll, told reporters earlier this week. “We’ve added some good pieces, veterans that care, that are smart and tough and have the played the game. They’re all on the same page. That’s what is required to be a good offensive line, to make sure five guys play as one.”The Jets also spent plenty of cash on their offensive line, signing tackle Tyron Smith from the Dallas Cowboys, and tackle Morgan Moses and guard John Simpson from the Baltimore Ravens. They also drafted tackle Olu Fashanu out of Penn State. Alijah Vera-Tucker is penciled in for right guard, with Joe Tippmann at center. The Jets are counting on them to protect Mr. Rodgers and open holes for running back Breece Hall.“I like the momentum that we have up front, the way those guys are blocking,” Mr. Rodgers said during the telecast of the Jets preseason game with Carolina. “Having Tyrone Smith and Morgan Moses really solidifies the edges. But more than that it brings a veteran presence in the room. You need those voices to help the young guys.”Messrs. Saleh and Daboll are on all the preseason lists for NFL coaches whose jobs might be in jeopardy if the season doesn’t go well. Mr. Saleh is 18-33 in his three seasons with the Jets, and this is a boom or bust year. He’ll be gone if they don’t make the playoffs.Mr. Daboll won Coach of the Year honors and took the Giants to the 2023 playoffs with a 9-7-1 record in his first year. But with Mr. Jones hurt and running back Saquon Barkley missing games with injuries, the Giants finished 6-11 a year ago. Now Mr. Barkley is gone to Philadelphia and Mr. Daboll has taken over the play-calling duties, putting him on the hot seat.“I want to show significant improvement over last year,” a Giants co-owner, John Mara, said recently. “But I’m not going to make any specific guarantees or demands. But they know what I want to see and I have a lot of confidence in this particular team.”

Putting Aside Rivalry, Giants and Jets Seek Similar Objectives During Joint Practices This Week

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