NFL
Sauce Gardner-Malik Nabers clash the Main Event of Jets-Giants practices
Jets versus Giants on Wednesday in Florham Park, the appetizer for Saturday night’s preseason finale feast.
“I can’t wait ’til the Giants come here,” Jets safety Tony Adams said. “Their ones against our ones. Let’s compete and see who’s better.”
A Post primer on the joint practice matchups we can’t wait to watch:
Sauce Gardner-Malik Nabers
The main event. A clash of Top Six draft choices. In his third game as a Jet, Sauce blanketed Ja’Marr Chase.
“He didn’t have any catches on me, zero,” he said afterwards. Nabers has drawn comparisons to his fellow LSU gamebreaker. He has been the talk of Giants training camp. Robert Saleh likes that Sauce has added weight.
“Generational talent,” Adams said. “6-[foot]-4, 6-3, it don’t matter. He looks like a spider. To be that big, to be able to move that quick, to be able to run that fast, it’s special. You don’t see a lot of guys like that. And loves to compete. Wants to go against the No. 1 receiver.”
Aaron Rodgers-Bobby Okereke
The 40-year-old quarterback savant who has seen it all matches wits with the brains of new DC Shane Bowen’s operation.
Garrett Wilson-Deonte Banks
Another clash of first-round picks. Banks is hardly lacking in confidence and is driven to be elite. Wilson already is.
“I think he’s just taking his game to another level from the IQ standpoint,” Adams said. “He and Aaron, they’re just playing at a very high level right now.”
Breece Hall-Bobby Okereke
The complete 220-pound back with athletic arrogance and hands and deceptive speed tests the relentless, durable, sideline-to-sideline inside linebacker/tackling machine.
Will McDonald-Jermaine Eluemunor
The Giants’ new right tackle better be wary of the spin move. The athletic second-year Jet will be giving away 85 or so pounds but has gotten stronger.
“Very explosive guy,” Jets DT Javon Kinlaw said. “He’s also physical at the point of attack, which is rare for guys his size. He’s got a great arsenal of pass rush moves but he can also set the edge. You love to see that.”
Joe Tippmann-Dexter Lawrence
The second-year Jets center has had the yips snapping to Rodgers. Wait until he feasts his eyes on Sexy Dexy. Scared straight, perhaps.
John Michael Schmitz-Quinnen Williams
The second-year Giants center has endured trial by fire practicing against Sexy Dexy and this won’t be any day in the park for him either against the two-time Pro Bowl DT.
“He’s a very intelligent football player,” Kinlaw said. “Very physical. Knows how to use his power very well. Knows how to get off blocks in an instant. It’s like you got no choice but to double him out there … he still beats guys.”
Daniel Jones-C.J. Mosley
The Jets defensive quarterback batted down a pass from Rodgers in practice on Monday.
“Cap, that’s what I call him,” Adams said.
Jones better shake off the rust and learn fast to be an extension of Brian Daboll, because he can’t afford to be playing checkers when Mosley will always be playing chess.
Brian Burns-Morgan Moses
The tough and prideful Moses has started 144 career games and has competed against some of the best. Burns has recorded 46 career sacks and has young, sudden legs that will be problematic for a veteran who was eased back into the Jets lineup following offseason surgery to repair a torn pectoral.
Kayvon Thibodeaux-Tyron Smith
Robert Saleh has had his veteran left tackle on a pitch count, but the Giants’ third-year double-digit sacker going mano-a-mano with this Hall of Fame bound eight-time Pro Bowler will be fun to watch while it lasts.
Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka-Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich
The Giants offensive brain trust versus the Jets defensive brain trust.
Joe Douglas-Joe Schoen
The Giants GM can tease the Jets GM about drafting Zach Wilson and the Jets GM can thank the Giants GM for passing on Wilson to draft Evan Neal.
Woody Johnson-John Mara
The Jets owner will be the one in the white sun hat in case the gentlemanly co-owner of the Giants elects to locate him and offer any objection he might have to Rodgers referring to the stadium they share as “JetLife Stadium.”