The Jets physically beat up the Giants in a very ugly game last night.  Mark Sanchez was so-so last night as he completed 8 of 16 passes for 64 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  Greg McElroy was efficient in completing 4 of 5 passes for 39 yards last night.  Rookie WR Jeremy Kerley did a pretty good Brad Smith impersonation last night.  He completed his only pass attempt, which was good for 18 yards.  He returned a punt for 17 yards.  Kerley also carried the ball 2 times for 13 yards (6.5 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for 6 yards.  Shonn Greene led the way on the ground for the Jets in this game with 42 yards rushing on 11 carries (3.8 ypc).  Joe McKnight (9 carries, 35 yards) and Bilal Powell (3 carries, 11 yards, TD) also pitched in for the Jets in the running game last night.  TE Matthew Mulligan (3 rec, 43 yards) and WR Santonio Holmes (2 rec, 37 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game for the Jets.  The Jets finished up with 112 yards rushing on 38 carries (2.9 ypc) and they also completed 13 of 22 passes (59.1%) for 121 yards last night.

The defense was outstanding for the Jets last night as they took the fight to the Giants’ offense.  LBs Bart Scott (8 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss), Nick Bellore (7 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack, 1 pass defensed and 1 QB hit) and David Harris (7 tackles, 2 passes defensed) led the way for the Jets’ D in this game.  Safety Jim Leonhard also had a big game with 4 tackles, 1 pass defensed, 1 QB hit and 1 interception.  The Giants finished up with 105 yards rushing on 25 carries (4.2 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 42 passes (47.6%) for 222 yards in this game.  The Jets are now 2-1 on the preseason.

The Jets destroyed the undermanned Bengals last night in New Jersey.  Mark Sanchez was sharp last night as he completed 12 of 20 passes for 173 yards with 2 TD passes and 0 INTs.  Greg McElroy looked pretty solid last night too as he completed 6 of 9 passes for 59 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  Drew Willy finished up this game at QB by throwing 1 incomplete pass.  RB Chris Jennings was electric last night as he led the way for the Jets on the ground with 81 yards rushing on 4 carries (20.3 ypc).  Joe McKnight also had a solid game with 36 yards rushing on 7 carries (5.1 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 7 yards (3.5 avg) with 1 TD grab.  TE Dustin Keller (4 rec, 73 yards), WR Plaxico Burress (3 rec, 66 yards, TD) and WR Santonio Holmes (3 rec, 19 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game for the Jets last night.  The Jets finished up with 156 yards rushing on 34 carries (4.6 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 30 passes (60%) for 222 yards in this game as they had possession of the ball for 34:14.

The defense was outstanding last night against the helpless offense of the Bengals.  LBs Josh Mauga and Jamaal Westerman led the way for the Jets’ D last night with 5 tackles apiece.  Safety Jim Leonhard, LB Brashton Satele and safety Eric Smith pitched in with one safety apiece for the Jets last night.  The Bengals finished up with 50 yards rushing on 24 carries (2.1 ypc) and they also completed 13 of 31 passes (41.9%) for 153 yards in this game.  The Jets are now 1-1 on the pre-season.

According to head coach Rex Ryan, this is the year that 25-year old RB Shonn Greene gets his big chance to carry more of the workload in the running game.  Greene played in 15 games (2 starts) for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 185 times for 766 yards (4.1 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 16 passes for 120 yards (7.5 avg) last year.  Greene is a big, bowling ball with legs who specializes in running over defenders.   Greene has now played in 29 games (2 starts) in his first two years with the Jets and he has carried the ball 293 times for 1,306 yards (4.5 ypc) with 4 TD grabs.  He didn’t catch any passes last year as a rookie so his career totals are the same as his 2010 totals (16 rec, 120 yards, 7.5 avg).

32-year old LaDainian Tomlinson will likely carry the ball less in 2011.  Tomlinson proved last season that he still has a lot left in the gas tank.  L.T. played in 15 games (13 starts) for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 219 times for 914 yards (4.2 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  He also caught 52 passes for 368 yards (7.1 avg) last year without any TD grabs.  Tomlinson has now played in 156 games (154 starts) in his first 10 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 3,099 times for 13,404 yards (4.3 ypc) with 144 TD runs.  He also has caught 582 passes for 4,323 yards (7.4 avg) with 15 TD grabs.  Tomlinson is one of the best running backs in the history of the NFL and the Jets are likely to have him even though he’s getting old.

23-year old Joe McKnight will likely be #3 in line at RB for the Jets in 2011.  McKnight played in 9 games (1 start) as a rookie for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 39 times for 189 yards (4.8 ypc).  He also caught 3 passes for 20 yards (6.7 avg) last year.  McKnight has a nice upside but he’s going to have to make the most of the few carries and passes that come his way in 2011.

22-year old Bilal Powell was taken in the 4th round out of Louisville by the Jets last April in the NFL Draft.  Powell will battle McKnight for the #3 RB job in 2011.  If he loses out to McKnight, he isn’t likely to get much P.T. in 2011.

25-year old Chris Jennings didn’t play at all last year.  He did play in 9 games (1 start) in 2009 for the Browns in which he carried the ball 63 times for 220 yards (3.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Jennings also caught 9 passes for 56 yards (6.2 avg) for the Browns that year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS RBS IN 2011:  B+

The Jets have signed 23-year old OLB Aaron Maybin to a 1-year deal.  Maybin played in 11 games for the Bills last year and he had 6 tackles.  He has now played in 27 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has 24 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss and 1 forced fumble.  Maybin has been a bust to this point in his NFL career, but maybe Rex Ryan will spark him.  Only time will tell but the Jets aren’t paying him much money, so he might be worth taking a flier on.

UPDATE:  (9/4/2011) – The Jets have released Aaron Maybin.

UPDATE II:  (9/29/2011) – The Jets have re-signed Aaron Maybin.

The Jets had the ball a stunning 36:04 last night but it didn’t matter as the offense couldn’t put enough points on the board to win.  The Jets’ QBs were sacked 7 times last night as there were a lot of protection problems last night.  Mark Sanchez started last night and he completed 6 of 7 passes for 43 yards without a TD pass or an interception.  Rookie Greg McElroy finished up this game at QB by completing 23 of 39 passes for 208 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  He also carried the ball 4 times for 24 yards (6.0 ypc) last night.  McElroy was under constant pressure last night as he fumbled three times last night, losing one of them.  Shonn Greene led the way on the ground for the Jets last night with 32 yards on 5 carries (6.4 ypc).  He also caught 1 pass for 5 yards.  Rookie RB Bilal Powell pitched in with 25 yards rushing on 9 carries (2.8 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 27 yards (9.0 avg) last night.  Joe McKnight rushed for 24 yards on 5 carries (4.8 ypc) and he also caught 1 pass for 4 yards last night.  TEs Jeff Cumberland (6 rec, 77 yards) and Josh Baker (3 rec, 45 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Jets last night.  WR Patrick Turner also pitched in with 6 grabs for 32 yards (5.3 avg) with 1 TD grab.  The Jets finished up with 100 yards rushing on 26 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 29 of 46 passes (63%) for 210 yards last night.

The defense was outstanding for the Jets last night.  Safety Brodney Pool led the way for the Jets on D last night with 5 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.  LBs Garrett McIntyre (4 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss and 2 QB hits) and Josh Mauga (3 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 1 pass defensed, 2 QB hits and 1 interception) also had very good games for the Jets last night.  The Texans rushed for 42 yards on 19 carries (2.3 ypc) and they also completed 16 of 31 passes (51.6%) for 179 yards last night.

The Jets have signed 37-year old WR Derrick Mason.  Mason played in 16 games (15 starts) for the Ravens last year and he caught 61 passes for 802 yards (13.1 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  He has now played in 218 games (168 starts) in his first 14 years in the NFL and he has caught 924 passes for 11,891 yards (12.9 avg) with 66 TD grabs.  Mason still has a lot left in the gas tank.  The Jets probably view Mason as the #3 WR for 2011, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him beat out Plaxico Burress for the #2 job in training camp.  This was a great pickup for the Jets as Mason has really sticky hands.

The New York Jets have been winning the last two years despite getting subpar play from the QB position during the regular season.  The Jets need 24-year old QB Mark Sanchez to play like he does in the playoffs for the 16 games of the regular season in 2011.  Sanchez played in 16 games (all starts) for the Jets last year and he completed 278 of 507 passes (54.8%) for 3,291 yards with 17 TD passes and 13 INTs (73.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 30 times for 105 yards (3.5 ypc) with 3 TD runs last year.  Sanchez has good mobility and he’s really good at throwing the ball off of playaction.  The Jets need him to graduate to being able to deliver the football from the pocket which has been a weakness to this point in his career.  The Jets need him to pick up the pace in 2011 as better seeding in the playoffs would give them a much better chance of getting to the Super Bowl.  Sanchez has now played in 31 games (all starts) in his first two years with the Jets and he has completed 474 of 871 passes (54.4%) for 5,735 yards with 29 TD passes and 33 INTs (70.2 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 66 times for 211 yards (3.2 ypc) with 6 TD runs with the Jets.  Sanchez is 19-12 (61.3%) as the Jets’ starting QB during the regular season and he is 4-2 (66.7%) in the playoffs.

The Jets better pray that Mark Sanchez stays healthy because 40-year old Mark Brunell is running on fumes.  Brunell played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Jets last year and he completed 7 of 13 passes (53.8%) for 117 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 INT (92.0 QB Rating).  Brunell also carried the ball 4 times for -12 yards (-3.0 ypc) last year with the Jets.  Brunell used to be one of the best starting QBs in the NFL, but age has caught up to him.  His arm is weak now and his mobility is also shot from the hits he has taken so far in his NFL career.  Brunell has played in 177 games (151 starts) in his first 17 years in the NFL and he has completed 2,760 of 4,637 passes (59.5%) for 32,045 yards with 184 TD passed and 108 INTs (84.0 QB Rating).  Brunell has also carried the ball 513 times for 2,421 yards (4.7 ypc) with 15 TD runs in his career.  Brunell has a 78-73 (51.7%) record as a starting QB in the NFL.

23-year old rookie QB Greg McElroy will be the Jets’ #3 QB in 2011.  He was picked in the 7th round out of Alabama.  McElroy doesn’t have a big time arm but he was a big time winner at Alabama, so I wouldn’t count him out as he could develop into a decent backup QB down the road for the Jets.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS QBS IN 2011:  C+

The Jets have signed 25-year old guard Trevor Canfield.  Canfield has yet to play in an NFL game in his first 2 years in the league.  He is 6’5″, 307 pounds, so he has nice size for a guard.  He was likely brought in for depth reasons only and he will have a hard time making the opening day roster.

UPDATE:  (9/3/2011) – The Jets have released Trevor Canfield.

The Jets have released 29-year old WR Jerricho Cotchery.  Cotchery played in 14 games (5 starts) for the Jets last year and he caught 41 passes for 433 yards (10.6 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  He played in 103 games (65 starts) in his first seven years in the NFL and he caught 358 passes for 4,514 yards (12.6 avg) with 18 TD grabs.  Cotchery also carried the ball 19 times for 79 yards (4.2 ypc) with 1 TD carry.  Cotchery helped out on special teams when called upon by the Jets.  He returned 54 punts for 484 yards (9.0 avg) and he also returned 23 kickoffs for 594 yards (25.8 avg) with 1 TD return.  Cotchery is #8 in Jets’ history in receptions with 358 of them.  He is also #9 in receiving yards with 4,514 and he is also #15 in receiving TDs with 18 of them.  It’s sad to see Cotchery go as he had a lot of big catches in his time with the Jets.

The Jets have re-signed 27-year old safety Brodney Pool.  Pool played in 15 games for the Jets last year (his first with the team) and he finished up with 53 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 11 passes defensed and 1 interception.  Pool has now played in 86 games in his first five years in the NFL and he has 329 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 46 passes defensed and 12 interceptions (1 returned for a TD).  This was a good move for the Jets as Pool played decent football for them last year.