What We Learned From Jets' Preseason Loss vs. Giants (Gang Green Is a Work in Progress)

It's over. It's done. The Jets' preseason slate has finally come to an end with their 23-6 loss against the Giants on Friday night.

Of course, the outcome is never really a concern at this point. The third preseason game is for players who are on the fringe of final roster spots. Some standouts who are cut find new homes on the practice squads of other teams.

That said, there was still plenty that we learned from the preseason finale. Let's get to some of that now.

Jets kicking problems aren't over

Jets special teams coordinator Chris Banjo was happy to call an end to the team's kicking battle this week, with Jason Sanders earning the win over Cade York.

To declare a winner may have been premature.

Sanders missed an extra point to open the game for the Jets, another sign of his inconsistent play over the last several weeks. It wouldn't be surprising if they held another competition with all-new players over the next two weeks. They have some time to figure out the kicking game.

But without nearly enough as before.

Nate Lynn makes things uncomfortable

It feels like most of the roster decisions are set. Players are competing right now for the final two or three roster spots. While most of that competition was thought to be on the offensive side of the ball, recent newcomer Nate Lynn is making things harder to predict.

Lynn recorded another sack in Friday's contest (h/t nyjets), his third in two preseason games. He has been a welcome presence since being picked up less than two weeks ago.

Nate Lynn with the pressure 😤

📺: #NYGvsNYJ on @nfloncbs, @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/weyHIG7634
— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 29, 2026

If the Jets choose to field a fifth edge rusher, Lynn won't just be the reason why, but he would also have taken away a spot from an offensive player as well.

Deservingly so.

Rookie growing pains come for Klubnik

For the majority of training camp, Cade Klubnik has looked the part of a deserving player worthy of being the immediate backup to Geno Smith. New York's unwillingness to trade for a veteran at times almost seemed like the team willingly agreeing to the notion of allowing the rookie to be the QB2 when the regular season began.

Then Friday's contest happened.

Klubnik wasn't awful, but he also had one of his worst outings of the last month. The Clemson product completed six passes out of 13 attempts for just 55 yards. He was also picked off on a bad throw in the second quarter on a pass he should have never attempted.

Cade Klubnik passes. — The Jets' preseason finale proved that Cade Klubnik still has a lot to prove at the NFL level. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Perhaps the Jets are willing to look past this contest, but the performance won't give fans much confidence, especially when they were already on the fence about him going into Week 1.

Undisciplined play is the worst kind

Yes, it was the backups. Yes, most of these players will not be on the field when the Jets take on the Titans in Week 1 of the regular season. However, seven first-half penalties, including one that wiped out a nice play from Klubnik rolling out, will not cut it.

New York finished with the sixth-most penalties in the league last year. That isn't the only reason they were bad, but it does highlight the undisciplined style of play the team is trying to improve.

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