Making his second consecutive start, Fields rushed once for 5 yards and was 1-of-5 passing. His lone completion came on a bootleg toss to rookie TE Mason Taylor. Nick Folk accounted for the Jets’ scoring in the first half, nailing field goals from 31 and 38 yards out.
“I think we called one deep, intermediate pass today,” Fields said. “But all those linebackers got sunk into that and I ran and got like 5, 6 yards. It will come – no need to force it. When you force it, that’s when tipped balls, picks happen. My mindset is always going to be take what the defense gives you.”
The Giants struck first against a Jets defense lining up without DT Quinnen Williams (calf), edge Jermaine Johnson(ramp up), Will McDonald (hamstring) and CB Sauce Gardner (calf soreness). Russell Wilson and Beau Collins connected on an 80-yard vertical strike that set up Devin Singletary’s 1-yard scoring run. But CB Qwan’tez Stiggers, starting in Gardner’s place, exacted some measure of revenge with a second quarter INT.
Jets young receivers Brandon Smith (5-48) and Arian Smith (2-39) both turned in solid performances. Arian Smith a fourth-round pick from Georgia, shook off an early drop, found space and brought in two third-down passes from Adrian Martinez for 23 yards and 16 yards, respectively, to help set up Folk’s second FG.
Rookie WR Quentin Skinnerended a Giants’ 17-point second half run, extending with one-hand and hauling in a 4-yard TD pass from rookie QB Brady Cook. Targeted four times, Skinner, the rookie from Kansas had 4 catches for 48 yards.
Rookie S Dean Clark registered a sack and PD in the second half. Both came against QB Jameis Winston and then Clark upped himself with an INT, quickly corralling a deflected Tommy DeVito pass in the end zone.
“But overall, man we got to play much better and that’s the beauty of this game,” Glenn said. “You know it’s the beauty of this game because it always teaches you lessons. One week, man, you can be riding high because things are going extremely well. Then the next week, man, it can put you on you [expletive].”