New York Jets vs New York Giants

Jets undrafted rookie running back Chip Trayanum punched in a 1-yard touchdown run to cap a 10-play, 36-yard drive on the opening possession — the only time the Jets would threaten the end zone all night. Kicker Jason Sanders missed the extra point, leaving the lead at 6-0.

The Giants answered immediately. Tyrone Tracy Jr. gashed the Jets defence with chunk runs, finishing a sustained drive with a touchdown run of his own. Zvada's extra point put the Giants ahead 7-6, a lead they never relinquished.

Zvada added a short field goal before half-time to stretch the advantage to 10-6, then opened the third quarter with a booming 53-yard field goal that made it 13-6. A further Zvada kick early in the fourth quarter extended the margin to 16-6 before the knockout blow arrived.

Jake Haener connected with Xavier Gipson for a 37-yard touchdown pass with 10:30 remaining, Gipson burning his former team — the Jets had waived him earlier in the off-season. That made it 23-6, and the Giants' defence closed the game out without further alarm.

The sequence that broke the game open was Zvada's 53-yard field goal early in the third quarter, immediately followed by a Giants three-and-out forced by defensive end Trace Ford. The Jets gained zero yards on that possession, and when Zvada added his fourth field goal on the Giants' next drive, a 13-6 lead had become 16-6 with the Jets' offence offering no signs of a response. New York's defence held the Jets to just 139 total yards across the entire game.

• Dominic Zvada (Giants K) — 3/3 field goals including a 53-yarder, 2/2 extra points. The undrafted rookie from Arkansas all but sealed the starting kicker job over Ben Sauls with a composed, powerful performance. Every Giants point came either from his foot or via his extra point on Tracy's touchdown.

• Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Giants RB) — Four carries for 37 yards and a touchdown before leaving with a head/neck injury. He was cleared from concussion protocol in the second half.

• Xavier Gipson (Giants WR) — The former Jet delivered the dagger: a 37-yard touchdown reception from Jake Haener in the fourth quarter, punishing the team that let him go.

• Marcelino McCrary-Ball (Jets LB) — A bright spot for the Jets defence, intercepting Jameis Winston and forcing a Braxton Berrios fumble recovered in the end zone. He was busy but ultimately couldn't compensate for the offence's struggles.

• Trace Ford (Giants DE) — Two sacks and a disruptive presence off the edge, part of a Giants defensive effort that limited the Jets to 139 yards.

Player of the match: Dominic Zvada — three field goals, a 53-yard bomb, and every Giants point on his ledger.

The Giants outgained the Jets 400 yards to 139, a reflection of total control in all three phases. The Jets' only scoring drive covered 36 yards (set up by the Winston interception) and resulted in just six points after the missed extra point. After that opening drive, the Jets managed 103 yards across the remaining three and a half quarters. Zvada's 53-yard field goal was a statement for a Giants kicking operation that had been unsettled through camp; it also accounted for more yards than the Jets' longest offensive play of the night.

Jason Sanders, the Jets' newly anointed kicker, missed an extra point and later pushed a 54-yard attempt wide — a concerning sign for a special teams unit that will be under scrutiny heading into the regular season.

The Giants finish the preseason at 2-1 and head into Week 1 with clarity on several roster battles, most notably at kicker where Zvada appears to have taken control. Tyrone Tracy's injury scare adds some uncertainty to the running back depth chart, but Najee Harris (59 yards on 12 touches) showed he can shoulder the load. The Giants open the regular season on the road against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1.

The Jets end the preseason at 1-2. Sanders' kicking inconsistency is a concern that will linger into the regular season, though the team has already confirmed he won the job. The defence flashed playmaking ability — two takeaways — but was gashed for 400 yards by a Giants outfit that rested its starters. The Jets travel to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 1.

A dominant preseason finale for the Giants, built on a stifling defence and a rookie kicker who may have won his job with one half of football. The Jets have bigger questions — their offence managed 139 yards against a defence that was deploying its second and third units for much of the night.