12/06/15 N.Y.Jets Vs N.Y.Giants at Metlife Stadium East Rutherford N.J. New York Jets win 23-20 in ot New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning #10 rolls out to pass in the 2nd half photos by sportsdaywire
Robbins Nest
By Lenn Robbins
You know the state of professional football in the metropolitan area is in sad, sad shape when the best team in the Empire State doesn’t call MetLife Stadium home.
The fact that the Buffalo Bills have beaten the Jets and Giants is just the wild wings appetizer in this story.
The Bills (2-0) have their quarterback of the future in Josh Allen.
He has such a powerful arm it’s rumored he can throw a pass from the Anchor Bar to the Statue of Liberty. From his knees. He is more mobile than Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones.
The Jets (Darnold) and Giants (Jones) believe they are set at that vital position but we don’t know. Jones didn’t play in the Giants 28-14 loss to the Bills on Sunday and Darnold (mononucleosis) won’t play Monday night against the Browns.
The Giants (0-2) have their back of the future in Saquon Barkley, although his name will always be linked with Darnold, which takes us back to the franchise QB issue.
Should the Giants have drafted Darnold? Is Jones the real deal?
The Jets (0-1) have their star back in Le’Veon Bell but he’ll be a salary cap albatross before Gang Green makes the playoffs. You read that right.
The Bills got their back of the future, Devin Singletary, in the third round of the draft. It didn’t cost them the second pick in last year’s draft (Barkley) or a Brinks truck (Bell).
The Bills have a balanced, aggressive defense. The Giants have a defense that allowed Dak Prescott and Allen to look like Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.
The Jets defense looked good in Week 1 in a 17-16 loss to Buffalo. It will be without LB C.J. Mosley and first-round pick DL Quinnen Williams against the Browns.
As bad as Cleveland’s petulant QB, Baker Mayfield, looked in a Week 1 loss to the Titans, we expect Gang Green’s defense to be exposed.
Worst of all, it feels as if the Bills are building something, as if there’s a plan and everyone is drinking the same sports drink.
The Giants are a QB change away from acknowledging what every Big Blue fan knows – this roster is lacking and the season is a long, cold march to the draft.
The Jets want us to believe they can be competitive this season but we’re about to meet Trevor Siemian who couldn’t win the starting QB jobs in Denver or Minnesota. He’ll play quarterback until Darnold can return.
The Jets follow Monday’s game against Cleveland with the Pats, Eagles and Cowboys. It’s possible that by the time Darnold returns the Jets could be in draft lockstep with their MetLife neighbors.
The Bills next face the Bengals so 3-0 is probable. Buffalo hasn’t done that since 2011. Spoiler: The Bills finished 6-10.
Forget the future. The Bills are 2-0. They’re having fun.
When a reporter asked Allen what he thought he had proved to New York City fans and New York City teams, the second-year QB picked apart the question.
“Um, [there’s] one New York team,” he quipped. “I’m just kidding.”
They’re laughing upstate. We’re about to cry Niagara Falls tears down here.