Keep an eye on these five players as the Giants face the Jets Saturday
![WR ODELL BECKHAM JR.
An appetizer for when they meet in the regular season, all eyes will be on Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis during the annual MetLife Bowl on Saturday night. Two of the top players at their respective positions will face each other for the first time before matching up when it really counts in Week 13.
"He's a good dude, very good person," said Beckham, who has not caught a pass on seven targets this preseason. "I've met him a few times and hung out with him. Before the schedule came out and they said we had to play the Jets, we were good friends.
"Having to go against him, why would you not want to go against the best in the league? The Patrick Peterson's, the [Richard] Sherman's, Revis, the Joe Haden's, that's what you come here to do is to put yourself in the best position possible to go against the best and he's clearly one of the best. It should be a tough challenge but I'm looking forward to just being able to go out there and competing."](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album_2x/f_auto/giants/sofwabkg4f1terjzbzda.jpg)
WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. An appetizer for when they meet in the regular season, all eyes will be on Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis during the annual MetLife Bowl on Saturday night. Two of the top players at their respective positions will face each other for the first time before matching up when it really counts in Week 13. "He's a good dude, very good person," said Beckham, who has not caught a pass on seven targets this preseason. "I've met him a few times and hung out with him. Before the schedule came out and they said we had to play the Jets, we were good friends. "Having to go against him, why would you not want to go against the best in the league? The Patrick Peterson's, the [Richard] Sherman's, Revis, the Joe Haden's, that's what you come here to do is to put yourself in the best position possible to go against the best and he's clearly one of the best. It should be a tough challenge but I'm looking forward to just being able to go out there and competing."
CB PRINCE AMUKAMARA Now that he's "completely over" the groin injury, cornerback Prince Amukamara is set to play in his first preseason game of the year. Amukamara has been able to practice the last two weeks, but suiting up for the third preseason game when starters typically last the longest will be key for the fifth-year pro. "I think preseason games are important because you get your body in shape and you start to work that muscle memory," Amukamara said. "And going against players from a different team, I'm excited I get to play this week."
DE OWA ODIGHIZUWA In the wake of Osi Umenyiora's retirement ceremony this week at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, rookie third-round pick Owa Odighizuwa is trying to become the next in the line of succession. It's a high bar to reach given the Giants' history at defensive end, but coach Tom Coughlin pointed out Odighizuwa as a player who could learn a lot from Umenyiora, Michael Strahan, and Justin Tuck. "I mean, honestly, it's something I take great pride in," said Odighizuwa, who grew up idolizing those players. "I don't take those words lightly at all. Anytime Coach can mention me in that type of conversation, that's definitely an honor. But that's something I work towards every day—being the best that I can be and contributing to the long line of tradition. That's a dream of mine and that's something I'm never going to let go so long as I'm here."
![LT ERECK FLOWERS
The Jets have a new head coach in Todd Bowles, but they still present one of the toughest challenges up front under the former Cardinals defensive coordinator. This will be a good test for left tackle Ereck Flowers, the Giants' first-round pick and ninth overall selection, as he readies himself for Week 1.
"We thought he played well technically," Coughlin said of Flowers coming out of the second preseason game. "Very sound, and he is improving. If you watch some of the run game, you see him move people off the ball. He did a nice job of that. He and [Justin] Pugh got involved in a couple of nice twist exchanges where we picked up in pass protection. You saw him aggressively go back and recover that ball on the ground; I know he's listening because we've been harping on that. Let the officials tell you that it was an incomplete pass, and don't let it lay on the ground. We've shown examples of that, so I think that there's no doubt that each one of these experiences he's grown and benefitted from."](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album_2x/t_lazy/f_auto/giants/gmlf9pu0wzfwko6eeqsg.jpg)
LT ERECK FLOWERS The Jets have a new head coach in Todd Bowles, but they still present one of the toughest challenges up front under the former Cardinals defensive coordinator. This will be a good test for left tackle Ereck Flowers, the Giants' first-round pick and ninth overall selection, as he readies himself for Week 1. "We thought he played well technically," Coughlin said of Flowers coming out of the second preseason game. "Very sound, and he is improving. If you watch some of the run game, you see him move people off the ball. He did a nice job of that. He and [Justin] Pugh got involved in a couple of nice twist exchanges where we picked up in pass protection. You saw him aggressively go back and recover that ball on the ground; I know he's listening because we've been harping on that. Let the officials tell you that it was an incomplete pass, and don't let it lay on the ground. We've shown examples of that, so I think that there's no doubt that each one of these experiences he's grown and benefitted from."
SAFETY LANDON COLLINS Coughlin confirmed that safety Landon Collins will play on Saturday for the first time since the rookie second-round draft choice injured his knee early in the preseason opener in Cincinnati. It comes at a time when the Giants' safety depth has been stretch thin due to injuries. "Every game is very important," Collins said leading up to the third preseason contest. "Especially that one, just to get it underneath my belt so I can get experience of how fast the game, the pace, and just have an understanding of my teammates and what they see so we can always feel off of each other."
1. Giants-Jets compete for Snoopy Trophy in MetLife Bowl.
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The fifth MetLife Bowl will break a 2-2 tie between the Giants and Jets in their annual preseason meeting, which Big Blue won last season, 35-24. Meanwhile, Saturday night at MetLife Stadium marks the 47th consecutive preseason that the Giants and Jets have met since the series began in 1969.
2. Starters to play first half.
Known as THE dress rehearsal, the third preseason game is when starters usually last the longest in preparation for Week 1 of the regular season. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said his starters will play mostly the first half depending on certain circumstances.
"The third game, obviously, is an important game, just like any of them are," Coughlin said. "But as far as advancing our people, we'll play a half. There may be some that extend and there may be some that won't not play a full half, but by and large, we'll plan on playing a half and a half."
3. Who's in? Who's out?
Veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara (groin) and rookie safety Landon Collins (knee) are expected to play on Saturday night. However, wide receiver Victor Cruz (calf) will not, Coughlin said Thursday as the Giants broke their 2015 training camp. Center Weston Richburg (knee), safety Nat Berhe (calf) and linebacker Mark Herzlich (concussion) are also on the injury report.
4. Rex out, Todd in.
Playmakers on Jets first-team offense, defense, and special teams, presented by Nike
QB RYAN FITZPATRICK
RB CHRIS IVORY
FB TOMMY BOHANON
WR BRANDON MARSHALL
WR ERIC DECKER
TE JEFF CUMBERLAND
RT BRENO GIACOMINI
RG BRIAN WINTERS
LG JAMES CARPENTER
CENTER NICK MANGOLD
LT D'BRICKASHAW FERGUSON
CB ANTONIO CROMARTIE
CB DARRELLE REVIS
DT DAMON HARRISON
DE LEONARD WILLIAMS
DE MUHAMMAD WILKERSON
SAFETY MARCUS GILCHRIST
LB CALVIN PACE
LB DAVID HARRIS
LB DEMARIO DAVIS
SS CALVIN PRYOR
KICKER RANDY BULLOCK
PUNTER RYAN QUIGLEY
This will be the first MetLife Bowl without former Jets coach Rex Ryan, who took over the Bills this season. While the Giants will see him in Buffalo in Week 4, they will face Todd Bowles, who was previously the Cardinals' defensive coordinator, for the first time with the Jets.
"Well, [Rex] brought a little entertainment, so… You know, it seems a little quieter this week in our preparation," quarterback Eli Manning said. "Not as much chit-chat on both sides, probably, but I think he was probably generating a lot of that."
"You know what, we've got our own issues," Coughlin said. "I don't pay much attention to what is going on in other places."
5. Odell's first trip to Revis Island.
Reigning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Odell Beckham Jr. will try for the first reception of his preseason career this week when he goes up against a Jets secondary that includes Darrelle Revis. The All-Pro cornerback is back with the team that originally drafted him after playing 2013 in Tampa Bay and winning the Super Bowl in New England last season. The two will meet again when it counts in Week 13.
"Having to go against him, why would you not want to go against the best in the league," Beckham said, echoing similar statements he made when preparing to face Richard Sherman and the Seahawks last year. "The Patrick Peterson's, the Sherman's, Revis, the Joe Haden's, that's what you come here to do is to put yourself in the best position possible to go against the best and he's clearly one of the best. It should be a tough challenge but I'm looking forward to just being able to go out there and competing."
6. Flowers and Pugh hold down the left side.
Left guard Justin Pugh has long-term goals for the offensive line which include playing alongside rookie left tackle Ereck Flowers for years to come. The two former first-round draft picks continue to build chemistry on the left side, where running backs Andre Williams and Shane Vereen were able to break long runs in last week's preseason game.
7. Pressure from Pepper.
As Ryan went from the Jets to Bills, defensive line coach Pepper Johnson did the opposite. The former 13-year NFL veteran, who played for the Giants from 1986-1992 and won two Super Bowls with the franchise, likes to do what the Jets did for years with Ryan and bring the pressure. Now it will be under Bowles.
"They do a good job of mixing up their coverages— showing pressure and backing out or disguising coverage and bringing some blitzes," Manning said. "So we'll have to be on our game, from my standpoint, from the offensive line, running backs, receivers, everybody understanding what their responsibilities are. It's a good scheme that their coaches brought in from Arizona, and they have good players, good corners, and so it'll be a good test for us. Looking forward to it."
8. Meriweather and Miles man thin safety group.
While Collins is expected to return, the Giants' safety depth has taken hit after hit due to injuries. That led to late signings of veterans Brandon Meriweather and Jeromy Miles, who have mostly practiced as the top tandem.
"A guy like Meriweather, he's a for sure, true vet, so he definitely takes ownership of the defense," Amukamara said. "So does Miles, and Collins does, too, when he's in there. So I haven't played in a game with them yet, so we'll just see how we all play together. That's what I like about preseason, because you get to build that chemistry and that communication."
*9. Sense of urgency. *
On 37 snaps, the first-team offense with Manning under center has managed just 104 yards and three points this preseason. Coming out of the second game, Coughlin said he wanted more urgency, which he did see "a little bit more and would like to continue to see more."
The Giants open the regular season on the road Sept. 13 against the Cowboys.
10. Osi's legacy lives on.
The Quest Diagnostics Training Center buzzed this week with the retirement ceremony of defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who won two Super Bowls with the Giants and ranks fourth on the franchise's all-time sacks list.
"For me, it was either I was going to play for the Giants, or I wasn't going to play football at all," said Umenyiora, who had three sacks in three career games against the Jets. "Once that became clear, where obviously the Giants have some young players who they need to develop who would play the same position that I would be playing. And if I was there, I would do nothing but stunt their growth. Once that became aware and I understood that, I said to myself, 'Why don't I retire? I'm not going to be a journeyman defensive end, I don't deserve that.' I made the decision to do that, and thankfully the Giants were gracious enough to let me do this."
