PITTSBURGH (AP) — Geno Smith capped a perfect one-series cameo by throwing for a touchdown and the New York Jets picked off a pair of passes in a 17-0 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday night.
Smith, who sat out New York's preseason opener with a sore left ankle, started and drove the Jets 69 yards to the end zone, the last 13 coming on a flip to a wide-open Jelani Woods. Smith, who played for the Jets from 2013 to 2016 and was acquired from Las Vegas in March, went 7 for 7 for 65 yards on the drive in what will likely be the 13-year veteran's lone exhibition appearance.
New York's defense, a major weakness during a 3-14 slog in 2025, kept young Pittsburgh quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar in check. Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey, the second overall pick in this year's draft, dropped Howard for an 11-yard loss in the first quarter.
Perhaps even more promising for New York, the defense also found a way to catch the ball, something that didn't happen at all during the regular season a year ago when the Jets became the first team since the NFL started tracking the statistic in 1933 to go an entire year without a single pick.
New York intercepted Howard twice in the first half with the Steelers driving in New York territory.
#Jets
Smith, who sat out New York's preseason opener with a sore left ankle, started and drove the Jets 69 yards to the end zone, the last 13 coming on a flip to a wide-open Jelani Woods. Smith, who played for the Jets from 2013 to 2016 and was acquired from Las Vegas in March, went 7 for 7 for 65 yards on the drive in what will likely be the 13-year veteran's lone exhibition appearance.
New York's defense, a major weakness during a 3-14 slog in 2025, kept young Pittsburgh quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar in check. Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey, the second overall pick in this year's draft, dropped Howard for an 11-yard loss in the first quarter.
Perhaps even more promising for New York, the defense also found a way to catch the ball, something that didn't happen at all during the regular season a year ago when the Jets became the first team since the NFL started tracking the statistic in 1933 to go an entire year without a single pick.
New York intercepted Howard twice in the first half with the Steelers driving in New York territory.
#Jets
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