Top 5 takeaways against Jacksonville Jaguars

Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; The New York Jets are introduced before a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets took care of business in their first victory of the preseason over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here are the top five takeaways from the game.

As the New York Jets defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars to a final score of 17-13, it was a great sight to see. Football is finally back at least in preseason form and the Jets looked good for the most part at MetLife Stadium in front of the home crowd.

Related Story: Geno Smith proves his worth against Jaguars

While the offseason was indeed a roller coaster ride, it was great to see everyone on the field having fun while also taking care of business. The Jaguars are an up-and-coming team and even though it’s only preseason in a meaningless game, winning is always a great thing in the grand scheme of things.

The Jets got to see many of their players on the roster bubble step up and perform while others showed that they probably won’t make the final roster. With roster cuts coming up soon, it’s imperative that any reps on the field featuring players looking to earn a spot step up and deliver. That was pretty much the theme throughout the game after the starters and main backups were benched.

Without further ado, here are the top five takeaways from the preseason Week 1 victory by the Jets.

Next: 5. No longer bearded but Fitzpatrick still effective

Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) at the line against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first quarter of a preseason game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

5. No longer bearded but Fitzpatrick still effective

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was the hottest topic all offseason long and after the Jets re-signed him on a one-year deal for $12M, he brings stability to the position. His mentoring of guys like Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg is priceless as he’s the perfect bridge-gap quarterback for the Jets heading into the regular season.

While Fitzpatrick is not an elite quarterback, he showed exactly why the Jets had to bring him back. In the game, Fitzpatrick totaled three passes and 72 yards.

Considering that Fitzpatrick was not in any organized team activities or even mini-camp due to ongoing contract negotiations, this was the perfect game to shake off any rust and get back into the swing of things. Fitzpatrick looked good and will only build on his relationships with his teammates.

Fitzpatrick shaved off his legendary beard to start the upcoming season off fresh. Hopefully it won’t mess with his mojo as at the end of the day, all eyes will be on him to deliver a similar if not better season this time around compared to last year.

Next: 4. The emergence of Jalin Marshall

Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Jalin Marshall (89) returns a kickoff during the second half of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

4. The emergence of Jalin Marshall

All throughout training camp, wide receiver Jalin Marshall has been impressing many so far. His speed, ability to break tackles and his determination to make the final roster of the Jets have all been superb.

On a kickoff return against the Jaguars, Marshall almost brought it to the house, which is something last year’s special teams squad failed to do all season long. Marshall’s 84-yard kickoff return was a thing of beauty and if he scored a touchdown, would have completely brought the house down.

So far, Marshall is making a strong case to emerge as the front-runner to be at the very least the starting kickoff returner. He would also add a nice dimension to the Jets’ offense to take the top off of defenses once the football is in his hands.

Overall, expect to see Marshall continue to make a name for himself and have a very good shot at making the final roster of the Jets. If he can do what he did against the Jaguars on a consistent basis come the regular season, the special teams unit will add such great field positioning for the Jets.

Next: 3. Darron Lee shows signs of brilliance

3. Darron Lee shows signs of brilliance

When the Jets selected linebacker Darron Lee in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, they knew exactly what they were getting. Lee is very fast, loves to wreak havoc against opponents and is a natural workhorse.

He showed signs of brilliance against the Jaguars, getting behind the line of scrimmage several times and proving his worth to the coaching staff. It will be very interesting to see how the Jets utilize his unique skill-set come the regular season since he has the makings to be a cornerstone on defense.

Lee totaled four tackles and a sack against the Jaguars and was disruptive in the trenches. Granted, it’s only preseason football but it’s good to see everything he’s learning from training camp come to fruition against real opponents.

Expect to see Lee continue to hone his craft to become an all-around linebacker as he has to work on his timing, execution and ability to get to the ball-carrier consistently. It’ll take time but he’s well on his way

Next: 2. The boos are real against Geno Smith

Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) drops back to pass during the second half of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. The Jets won, 17-23. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

2. The boos are real against Geno Smith

Whether you want him to start or be gone faster than a New York minute, fans at MetLife Stadium made it clear that they don’t want quarterback Geno Smith around. The amount of boos from the crowd Smith got after entering the game was indicative that they’re happy the Jets re-signed Fitzpatrick for the upcoming season.

It’s very interesting to see as Smith must have used it to fuel his desire to silence those in attendance by throwing the only touchdown reception of the game for the Jets. It was a beautiful one too as he showed that he can take the boos just as good as anyone else.

It remains to be seen if the Jets plan to keep all four quarterbacks on the roster considering Smith is a very capable backup. Not only due to having starting experience but all throughout training camp and now preseason football, is looking pretty good these days.

Hopefully it doesn’t get inside his head since if anything, it will serve as great motivation that if he has to step up to be a starter due to injury or a decline in play with Fitzpatrick, he can take pride knowing people booing him now might be cheering for him later.

Next: 1. The fall of Dee Milliner

Aug 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Tony Washington (12) breaks a tackle by New York Jets cornerback Dee Milliner (27) and New York Jets strong safety Rontez Miles (45) during the second quarter of a preseason game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. The fall of Dee Milliner

It’s been a few years since cornerback Dee Milliner saw actual game time due to his unfortunate nagging injuries. A once promising defensive back out of Alabama, it could be the writing on the wall that he’s not meant to play in the NFL at a starting level.

Not only did Milliner look sloppy on the field but his on-the-field awareness was nowhere to be found. He looked confused with his assignments and got burned several times by the Jaguars’ offense.

As he’s trying to prove he’s worthy of a roster spot, at this point in time it’s not looking good. The Jets have a plethora of cornerbacks that are exactly what their defense needs to have a formidable defensive secondary.

must read: Jalin Marshall makes most of opportunities

For a player that’s on the roster bubble, Milliner is on the outside looking in. It’s a shame really since he had some major potential coming out of college but at the end of the day, it’s not translating at all in the pro level.