Joe Namath, Victor Cruz moments highlight Jets-Giants preseason history

The Jets and Giants first met up in the preseason more than 50 years ago and have had plenty of exciting moments.

The Jets and Giants first met up in the preseason more than 50 years ago and have had plenty of exciting moments.

Some of the highlights of what has come to be known as the Snoopy Bowl – the annual New York preseason showdown – are below:

Aug. 8, 2019: Giants 31, Jets 22

Daniel Jones seen highs and lows as Giants quarterback, but in his preseason debut, he dazzled. He completed all five of his pass attempts and finished his one series with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Bennie Fowler. The game was suspended for 59 minutes in the first quarter for lightning, but the Giants earned the 31-22 victory after the delay.

Aug 24, 2018: Giants 22, Jets 16

Sam Darnold put on a show. The No. 3 overall draft pick — taken one spot after the Giants selected Saquon Barkley — in the 2018 NFL Draft threw for 86 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown pass to Terrelle Pryor, as he stood out in the Jets’ quarterback competition. However, the Giants escaped with a 22-16 victory.

Aug. 26, 2017: Giants 32, Jets 31

The Giants’ defense made their mark. Landon Collins and Donte Deayon both returned interceptions for touchdowns and Jason Pierre-Paul recorded a safety. The Giants grabbed an early 29-3 lead by scoring three first-half touchdowns after failing to notch any touchdowns in their first two games of that preseason.

Matt Forte is tackled in end zone by New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Aug. 27, 2016: Giants 21, Jets 20

In a sluggish game for both teams, the Giants emerged with a one-point victory, even though they did not get past the midfield until a face mask penalty on Brandon Bostick during a punt return with 2:36 left in the third quarter. This contest notably featured the return of Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, who played for the first time since 2014 due to injuries. He caught one pass for four yards.

Aug 22, 2014: Giants 35, Jets 24

This game proved that Geno Smith would be the starter over Michael Vick. Smith finished the game by going 9-of-14 with 137 yards, including a one-yard touchdown pass to then-rookie Jace Amaro. But Giants backup quarterback Ryan Nassib stole the show, throwing three touchdown passes in the second half to secure the victory.

Aug. 24, 2013: Jets 24, Giants 21 OT

This signaled the end of Mark Sanchez’s career as a Jet. Coach Rex Ryan inserted Sanchez into the game in the fourth quarter behind the third-team offensive line after Smith — a rookie at the time — threw three interceptions. Sanchez then suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He never played another down for New York.

Aug. 17, 2010: Giants 31, Jets 16

Eli Manning suffered a gruesome 3-inch gash on his head that required 12 stitches after running into Brandon Jacobs and getting tattooed from behind by Jets linebacker Calvin Pace. With his helmet flying off, Manning fell forward into Jets safety Jim Leonhard’s helmet. A staggering Manning saw blood trickle down his face from his forehead. Fortunately for the Giants, Manning was okay.

Victor Cruz breaks a tackle from Dwight Lowery in the 2010 preseason matchup.

Victor Cruz had his coming-out party with a three-touchdown performance that helped him make the Giants roster as an undrafted free agent out of UMass. Cruz hauled in six passes for 145 yards and became the linchpin for the Giants passing attack for years.

Aug. 23, 2003: Jets 15, Giants 14

After leading the Jets to the playoffs the previous season, QB Chad Pennington took a big blow in this one. Pennington suffered a broken and dislocated left wrist after being hit by Giants linebacker Brandon Short, costing him the first five games of the regular season. The Jets went 1-4 without their quarterback en route to a dismal 6-10 season.

Aug. 22, 1998: Jets 27, Giants 23

One of the most sobering moment of the Jets-Giants history came when star cornerback Jason Sehorn returned the opening kickoff — the first of his NFL career — and tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee, requiring season-ending surgery. The injury robbed Sehorn of many of his natural gifts — he was never quite the same player again, retiring five years later — ruining a promising future.

Aug. 11, 1976: Giants 16, Jets 14

The only Jets-Giants preseason clash played at Yankees Stadium was postponed two days by Hurricane Belle. It was also Joe Namath’s last Jets-Giants game. He threw a pair of touchdown passes, but Giants kicker George Hunt’s field goal won it for Big Blue.

Aug. 17, 1969: Jets 37, Giants 14

Riding high after their Super Bowl III victory over the Colts, the Jets hammered the Giants in the two teams’ first preseason meeting at the Yale Bowl behind three touchdown passes from Namath. Not only did the Giants lose to the young upstarts, but it was the final nail in coach Allie Sherman’s coffin: he was fired before the first regular-season game.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:David Lazar