Veteran QB Geno Smith was a spectator in the final preseason game, so Jets rookie QB Cade Klubnik got his second start, facing the local rival Giants at MetLife Stadium on Friday night in the 57th preseason meeting between the teams. With NFL teams required to trim their rosters to 53 players by 6 p.m. on Sunday, HC Aaron Glenn held out most of his front-line players, primarily on offense.
Klubnik, a Round 4 selection (No. 110 overall) out of Clemson in April's NFL Draft, had favorable field position to start after Marcelino McCrary-Ball intercepted a deflected Jameis Winston pass on the game's first series and returned it 19 yards to the Giants' 36-yard line.
But Klubnik didn't have an opportunity to put the ball in the air on what ended up being a 10-play drive, all on the ground, led by RB Chip Trayanum's 9 carries for 30 yards and a 1-yard dive for the TD behind a block by TE Jelani Woods.
On the seventh play of the drive, Klubnik was forced to scramble after he got the handle on a low snap from center, and went for 6 yards. Three plays later, Trayanum rolled into the end zone for a touchback.
See all of the best game photos from the Jets Week 3 preseason game against the Giants.
After the defense forced another turnover, Klubnik's first two passes of the night -- catchable balls intended first for Junior Bergen and then Malik McClain -- fell incomplete. On third down, Klubnik found Woods near the home sideline for 5 yards, forcing a punt by Austin McNamara.
Klubnik opened the Jets' third possession with a short connection, his second to Woods, to end the first quarter. Another short pass, for 3 yards to Trayanum, was followed by a 22-yard catch-and-run after Trayanum was able to handle a low throw from Klubnik. But on the next play, Klubnik's pass intended for Woods came up short and was intercepted by former Jets LB Zaire Barnes at the Giants' 27-yard line.
See the Jets on the field for warmups before their preseason game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
An 81-yard punt by the Giants' Jordan Stout barely touched the goal line, but was a touchback nonetheless. The Jets, starting at their 20-yard line, saw recently signed RB Dominic Richardson pick up a first down. But the drive stalled after an incomplete pass when Klubnik was flushed out of the pocket, a short gain, a 5-yard penalty for delay of game and another incompletion on third-and-14.
Trailing by 10-6 with 2:07 left in the first half, Klubnik's final effort of the night started seconds before the 2-minute warning. Klubnik's first-down pass went for 14 yards to WR Cam Camper. A 25-yard pass to McClain was nullified when Xavier Newman was ruled to be an ineligible man downfield. Another completion to Camper for 12 yards got the Jets to the Giants' 32. But the drive was halted when Klubnik was sacked on third-and-13, knocking the Jets out of field-goal range.
In the half, Klubnik completed 6-of-13 passes for 59 yards and an interception.
During the third quarter, GM Darren Mougey put on the headphones and chatted with the CBS-TV announcing crew.
Asked for his assessment of Klubnik, Friday night and overall, Mougey said: "Cade's had a good camp. We've seen growth through OTAs, through training camp. He's got some moxie. He's got poise. He's played a lot of college football, but there's nothing like NFL reps. It doesn't matter if you're the number one overall pick, seventh pick, any position coming to the NFL there's a lot to learn, especially at quarterback."
