NFL Preseason Preview - N.Y. Giants (1-1) At N.Y. Jets (1-1)
POSTED: 4:24 pm EDT August 21,
2008
By Tony Moss, NFL Editor -- (Sports Network) - The annual preseason battle for Big Apple bragging rights will take center stage at Giants Stadium on Saturday night, when the New York Giants "visit" the New York Jets in the next-to-last August warm-up for both squads. Although it remains essentially a meaningless game, this year's tilt has a slightly different energy surrounding it. The Giants are atop the football world thanks to last year's Super Bowl title, while the Jets, just one year removed from a 4-12 season, have become a hot league-wide topic thanks to the acquisition of quarterback Brett Favre. The G-Men certainly didn't look to be suffering from a Super Bowl hangover this past Monday, when they built a 30-3 lead on the Cleveland Browns before coasting the rest of the way in a 37-34 win. Domenik Hixon was among the stars for the Giants, as the wideout/return specialist caught a pair of touchdown passes from Eli Manning in the first quarter, then ran back a free kick that followed a safety for an 82-yard TD later in the frame. Hixon could get fewer opportunities on Saturday, as Amani Toomer (knee), Mario Manningham (groin) and Steve Smith (groin) all have a chance to return to the field after missing the Cleveland game. Plaxico Burress (ankle) is expected to remain out for the Giants. Kicker Lawrence Tynes (foot) and backup quarterback Anthony Wright (back) are among the G-Men considered questionable for Saturday. For the Jets, of course, all eyes will be on the man wearing the No. 4 jersey. Favre played just two series in last Saturday's 13-10 loss to the Redskins, completing 5-of-6 passes for 48 yards and tossing a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dustin Keller. Favre is expected to see more extensive action this week, though head coach Eric Mangini did not indicate just how much the veteran would play before yielding to backups Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff. Wide receiver Laveranues Coles (knee) and defensive end Shaun Ellis (broken hand) are among the banged-up Jets heading into Saturday's contest. Both are regarded as questionable to play against the Giants. The two occupants of the Meadowlands facility traditionally meet each summer, with the Jets leading the all-time preseason series with the Giants by a narrow margin of 20-18-1. The AFC team was a 20-12 victor in last year's exhibition. The Giants were 35-24 winners when the teams met in regular season play last Oct. 7th, extending their advantage in meaningful games to 7-4.
Copyright 2008 Courtesy of The Sports Network.













