Giants rookie WR Jalin Hyatt looking to make name for himself vs. Jets’ CB Sauce Gardner

Sunday’s Giants-Jets battle for MetLife Stadium has lost some buzz due to the torn Achilles suffered by Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Week 1. Rodgers’ presence added juice when the teams met in their annual preseason clash, with the Hall of Fame-bound quarterback sparring with Giants linebacker Jihad Ward.

But even with Rodgers restricted to the sideline, there’s still plenty to look forward to in this crosstown showdown:

‘The opportunities you want’

NFL teams intentionally run basic plays in preseason games to avoid revealing anything schematically. That was especially true for the Giants and Jets exhibition matchup in August since the coaches knew they’d be facing off during the regular season.

Yet, on the first play of that game, Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt went in motion before running a stutter-go route against Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. The Giants rookie blazed past the Jets All-Pro, but quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s deep pass landed out of bounds for an incompletion.

“It really doesn’t matter if I beat him or not,” said Hyatt, who was playing with the Giants backups in the game. “We want a completion.”

Taylor tried to hit Hyatt on another deep pass against Gardner on the Giants’ next possession. But the corner maintained tight coverage and knocked the pass away for an incompletion. After the play, Gardner shouted, “Boy! You with the bigs! F— is you talking about, man?! The f— is he doing?”

.@iamSauceGardner was fired up in his first preseason action 🗣
New #HardKnocks tomorrow on @streamonmax
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) August 28, 2023

“I didn’t hear him on the field because he said it running away,” Hyatt said. “Then I heard it on social media on Hard Knocks. We’re competitors at the end of the day, so I know he’s going to talk. Obviously, he’s a great player. I’ve just got to go out there and do my job.”

Hyatt said Gardner, like a lot of corners, “loves to talk.” Hyatt said he’s too focused on his assignments on the field to engage in trash talk. Hyatt heaped praise on Gardner’s skills, but he’s fired up for a shot at the reigning defensive rookie of the year in a real game.

“These are the opportunities that you want,” Hyatt said. “When you go against elite corners, especially like him, those are opportunities you’ve got to take advantage of. That’s how you get your name out there.”

Not surprisingly, Hyatt has been a feast-or-famine deep threat early in his rookie year. The third-round pick has four catches for 164 yards in two games, and just five catches for 31 yards in the other five games.

.@TyrodTaylor to @jalinhyatt 🔥 What a connection.
📺: #WASvsNYG on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus
— NFL (@NFL) October 22, 2023

Hyatt broke onto the scene with a 58-yard catch on the first play of the second half to spark the Giants’ 31-28 win over the Cardinals in Week 2. After that, he routinely saw safeties shaded to his side of the field to eliminate deep passes. Washington inexplicably deviated from that approach last week, and Hyatt made catches of 33 and 42 yards against one-on-one coverage.

The Jets had a safety over the top on both of Hyatt’s deep targets in the preseason, and their quarters coverage scheme is designed to limit big pass plays. But Hyatt will be ready for his next opportunity to make a play against Gardner.

“It’s going to be a good one,” Hyatt said. “These are the matchups that you want and I can’t wait for it.”

Rivalry game

Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey has spent 10 years with the organization over two stints. In between, he spent the 2014 season as the Jets’ special teams coordinator. So he fully understands the magnitude of this game to fans of the teams.

“It’s something the city talks about all year around for bragging rights,” McGaughey said.

Giants coach Brian Daboll has also been on both sides of the rivalry, serving as the Jets’ quarterbacks coach from 2007-08. Even Daboll conceded it’s a “juice” game.

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The biggest factor preventing Giants-Jets from rising to true rivalry status for players is that they only meet once every four years since they’re in separate conferences. The Giants lead the all-time series 8-6.

The teams last met in 2019, which the Jets won 34-27. Seven members of the Giants were with the team for that game — QB Daniel Jones, RB Saquon Barkley, WR Sterling Shepard, WR Darius Slayton, DL Dexter Lawrence, DL Leonard Williams and practice squad LB Oshane Ximines.

‘No hard feelings’

There was extra juice for the preseason matchup this year because it was the Jets debut for Rodgers. Even though the Giants were mostly playing reserves, the intensity ratcheted up on the Jets’ first drive when wide receiver Randall Cobb crushed Giants safety Bobby McCain with an illegal blindside block.

McCain was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Ward was incensed by Cobb’s hit and Jets players laughing in the huddle after the play as Rodgers scolded his long-time teammate for the penalty.

Ward and Rodgers jawed during and after the game, but McCain doesn’t bear a grudge toward Cobb.

“I know he’s been playing in this league a long time. We both have. It was a play that a couple of years may have been clean, but now it’s not,” McCain said. “Ain’t no hard feelings toward him. He tried to make a football play, and that’s how it happens. I appreciate (Ward). He had my back.”

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Status report

The Giants’ injury report still features some of the team’s most important players. Jones (neck), left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring), center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), right tackle Evan Neal (ankle) and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (neck) have been limited in the first two practices of the week after missing at least last week’s game.

Jones still has not been cleared for contact, so it appears he’ll miss a third straight game. Thomas returned to the practice field for the first time since Sept. 28 when he suffered a setback from the hamstring injury he initially sustained in the season opener. Thomas’ light workload during Wednesday’s practice seemed like a sign he’ll be ramped up gradually and likely won’t be ready for Sunday.

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Neal missed Sunday’s win over the Commanders with an ankle injury that has been nagging since Week 3. He had a similarly light workload as Thomas on Wednesday, which wasn’t an encouraging sign for a return this week.

Jackson’s status is uncertain after a neck injury suffered in a Week 6 loss to Buffalo sidelined him for the Commanders game. Schmitz seems to have the best odds of returning after missing the past three games with a shoulder injury.

The Giants could have yet another offensive combination if Schmitz returns. He could be flanked by Justin Pugh at left tackle, Ben Bredeson at left guard, Mark Glowinski at right guard and Tyre Phillips at right tackle if Thomas and Neal are sidelined.

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones looks like he could miss his third straight game Sunday against the Jets. (Sarah Stier / Getty Images)

Exercising caution

Daboll and Jones have been tight-lipped about the exact nature of the quarterback’s injury and how he will gain clearance for contact.

“There are several tests that (the medical staff is) looking to see improvement,” Jones said.

Obviously, the Giants aren’t going to have a 240-pound linebacker hit Jones full-speed in the back to determine if he can take the type of hit that led to the initial injury.

Dr. Rahul Shah, a board-certified orthopedic neck and spine surgeon who hasn’t examined Jones, said the process will involve gradual testing on the practice field to simulate game circumstances. Such tests could include making quick pivots with his head to the left and right, and reacting to have a rusher run at him. That would explain why Giants head trainer Ronnie Barnes and director of rehab Leigh Weiss were observing Jones go through drills at the start of Thursday’s practice.

Your daily Daniel Jones practice video update. He’s out throwing but he’s not cleared for contact
— Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) October 25, 2023

There are also strength tests in the weight room that will provide valuable intel.

“You want to see how bad that nerve is getting irritated in that area,” Shah said. “You do strength testing to see that. You load that and you see how much those symptoms keep coming back when you progressively overload it.”

Jones acknowledged this week that he’s still dealing with some symptoms. The Giants’ medical staff simply can’t risk clearing him to play until the symptoms subside.

“In the case of the cervical spine, or the neck area, that area is a bit more fragile because if you’re not game-ready and you make a mistake and you send somebody in too soon, then they can become paralyzed,” Shah said. “That’s the risk you run, and that’s why they’re being careful with trying to understand exactly the extent to which his injury is and how it responds to gradual load.”

Good, but not that good

The Jets’ defense has not lived up to its own hype of rivaling all-time great units like the 1985 Bears. The Jets rank 13th in points allowed, 24th in yards allowed and tied for 24th in sacks. But they’ve also faced four of the top seven scoring offenses in their six games.

Although Saleh got carried away by saying the Jets have “embarrassed” every quarterback they’ve faced, they held the Bills, Chiefs and Eagles to an average of 17.7 points and went 2-1 in those games.

The Jets’ 13 takeaways are tied for third-most in the league. And even though the sack total has been low, the Jets’ formidable pass rush has the second-highest pressure rate, so this will be yet another stiff test for the Giants’ makeshift offensive line.

Bringing the heat

Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale figures to bring the heat Sunday. A young quarterback behind a banged-up offensive line is typically a recipe for Martindale to blitz all day.

The Jets rank 22nd in scoring, with backup quarterback Zach Wilson settling into a game-manager role after rough performances in his first two starts in place of Rodgers. The Jets have a pair of dangerous young playmakers: Martindale called running back Breece Hall “special” and wide receiver Garrett Wilson “a werewolf.”

Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale on #Jets offense: “We’re going to have our hands full”
On Zach Wilson:
— Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) October 26, 2023

Even with those weapons, the Jets don’t have a scary offense. The Jets are converting 25 percent of their third downs, which is the lowest rate in the league. The Giants held the Commanders to 1-of-15 third-down conversions in their 14-7 win last week. The Jets also have the worst red-zone scoring offense.

The Giants have faced a similar gauntlet of top offenses this season, and are starting to hit their stride. They have held opponents to a league-low 10.5 points per game over the past two weeks. Another stifling performance should be in store against Wilson and the Jets.

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Pugh gets paid

Pugh made it clear when he signed to the Giants’ practice squad on Oct. 3 that he planned to be on the active roster before long. He also made it clear he was looking to get paid more than a minimum contract, which is typically the case for practice squad promotions.

Pugh delivered on both fronts. He was signed to the active roster last Wednesday, three days after starting at left guard and shifting to left tackle in a 14-9 loss to the Bills. He signed a one-year contract for the rest of the season for a prorated amount of a minimum salary ($780,000), but he got enhancements in the deal.

Pugh got an $85,000 signing bonus, and he can earn $175,000 in per-game roster bonuses ($35,000 for each game he’s on the active roster). He can also earn up to $850,000 in playing time incentives in the final 11 games of the season: $375,000 for playing 50 percent or more of the snaps, another $375,000 for playing 70 percent or more of the snaps and another $100,000 for playing 90 percent or more of the snaps.

Essentially, Pugh can earn up to $1.1 million more than the veteran’s minimum if he’s a starter for the rest of the season. The playing time incentives don’t count on the cap this year, so Pugh’s cap hit is just $1 million.

Running low on cap space

The Giants have a league-low $947,513 in salary cap space as of Thursday, according to the NFLPA. The Giants entered the season with $3.8 million in cap space after restructuring the contracts of defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, linebacker Bobby Okereke and kicker Graham Gano. But the cost of replacements for players on injured reserve — the Giants have placed five players on IR in the past two weeks — has eaten into that cushion.

Unless the Giants make a trade to create cap savings by Tuesday’s deadline, another contract restructure will be inevitable to make it through the season. Jackson and defensive tackle Leonard Williams are the obvious sources of potential cap relief, either via trade or restructure.

Giving back

Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux has been busy on and off the field recently. The 2022 first-round pick has 5.5 sacks in the past five games. Equally impressive, Thibodeaux has spent his off days giving back to the community.

Kayvon Thibodeaux, joined by his mother Shawnta, packed boxes of food at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey as part of @Campbells “Chunky Sacks Hunger” campaign.
“It’s the holiday season,” Thibodeaux said. “Hunger is a big thing in our country. Being able to serve communities…
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) October 24, 2023

Thibodeaux hosted his inaugural JREAM Foundation gala on Oct. 10 at MetLife Stadium. Thibodeaux started the foundation to help children from disadvantaged communities. He spent his off day this week packing boxes of food at the Community Foodbank of New Jersey as part of Campbell’s “Chunky Sacks Hunger” campaign.

“Hunger is a big thing in our country,” Thibodeaux said. “Being able to serve communities that we can is amazing. I just thought what better way to spend my off day than giving back with my mom.”

Prediction

Giants 13, Jets 10. The Giants have split their last two games — a 14-9 loss to the Bills and a 14-7 victory over the Commanders. All signs point toward this being yet another defensive slugfest. The Jets have the better roster, but the drop-off from their starting quarterback to their backup is far greater. I’m betting on Martindale’s pressure to rattle Wilson into some game-changing mistakes.

(Top photo of Jalin Hyatt: Lauren Leigh Bacho / Getty Images)

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