Joe Flacco, Jets’ first-team offense deliver forgettable performance with Week 1 looming

If Sunday’s preseason finale was a “dress rehearsal” for the Jets offense, they may want to delay opening night.

The first-team offense got their first work together in the preseason and it was not pretty. The offense had four series against mostly Giants backups and they managed three points, 94 yards — and two turnovers — on 22 plays in a 31-27 win over the Giants.

Joe Flacco, who is expected to start Week 1 against the Ravens, threw a brutal interception that was returned for a touchdown by Giants linebacker Austin Calitro. Flacco was 7-for-12 for 76 yards and the pick in his only action of the preseason.

You can’t overreact to preseason games, but the Jets surely were hoping for a better showing from their offense. The line played together for the first time in the preseason and looked shaky. Flacco faced some pressure and there was very little push in the run game.

On his final play of the day, he faced pressure from Giants linebacker Oshane Ximines and rolled to his right. Flacco then forced a pass intended for Michael Carter that landed right in Calitro’s hands and he returned it 35 yards for a touchdown.

Carter had a fumble that ended the Jets’ first drive of the game. The drive was 10 plays and it looked like it would continue as Carter caught a pass from Flacco on third down and was on his way to a first down when he was hit by Giants linebacker Michah McFadden and fumbled at the Giants’ 28. It was recovered by Calitro.

The Jets defense had a better showing. The starting defensive line abused the Giants’ second-team offensive line. Quinnen Williams and Carl Lawson put a lot of pressure on Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor and then rookie Micheal Clemons knocked him out of the game. Clemons drilled Taylor, and the quarterback left the game with a back injury.

The hit by Clemons was one of several big ones delivered by the Jets. Kwon Alexander drilled running back Antonio Williams, causing a fumble the Giants recovered.

Before Taylor exited the game, the Jets pressured him into a bad throw that was intercepted by Michael Carter II.

While the starting offense scuffled, the backup offense moved the ball. Quarterback Mike White went 13-for-17 for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

Denzel Mims, who requested a trade on Thursday, had a huge game in what could be his last in a Jets uniform. He had seven catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. The question now becomes what general manager Joe Douglas does with Mims. Rosters need to be cut to 53 by 4 p.m. Tuesday. If Douglas cannot trade him by then, he will have to decide whether to keep the 2020 second-round pick on the roster or cut him. It will be tough to let him go after his performance Sunday.

The Jets had some fourth-quarter dramatics with fourth-string quarterback Chris Streveler hitting Calvin Jackson for a 5-yard touchdown with 22 seconds left in the game to put the Jets up 31-27. It was Streveler’s second touchdown pass of the fourth quarter. He hit Mims for a 29-yard score earlier in the quarter.