EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Yes, Christian Hackenberg can throw the ball in the ocean. Turns out he can even hit a few big puddles.
The second-year mystery man answered some questions in the New York Jets' preseason opener Saturday night at MetLife Stadium, delivering a respectable performance in his first game action in a year. Hackenberg completed 18 of 25 passes for 127 yards in the 7-3 win over the Tennessee Titans, his only turnover a botched snap.
Hackenberg's production wasn't great -- no points in eight possessions -- but you have to grade on a curve when it comes to the former second-round pick. He's better than last summer. He was decisive in the pocket, his accuracy was relatively sharp and, no, he didn't pick off any spectators on the sideline with errant throws. In short, he wasn't overwhelmed.
New offensive coordinator John Morton didn't ask Hackenberg to do too much, a smart way to break him in. Can Hackenberg overtake Josh McCown for the starting job? No, that's not going to happen in the preseason, but this game wasn't about that. This was about seeing progress from Hackenberg, and he showed that.
QB depth chart: McCown, the presumptive Week 1 quarterback, started the game and orchestrated a touchdown drive on his only possession. He was close to flawless, completing 3 of 4 passes (one drop) for 72 yards. McCown showed deep-ball accuracy, hitting Robby Anderson on a 53-yard bomb -- something we haven't seen in training camp. He finished off the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Charone Peake. This was just a tune-up for McCown; look for him to play more next week. Bryce Petty (2-for-6, 17 yards) cleaned up, and it wasn't pretty.
When it was starters vs. starters, the Jets looked …: They actually looked like a decent football team. Am I surprised? Yeah, a little bit, considering the ragged performance by the offense in the first two weeks of training camp. It was a small sample size -- one possession -- so let's call it a baby step in the right direction. In fact, the last time they scored on the first possession of the preseason was 2003. The starting defense was sharp in two series, forcing two punts. Defensive end Leonard Williams (one sack) was a beast, and linebacker Demario Davis looked faster than in the past, making a nice tackle in pursuit.
Rookie watch: It was quiet night for safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, who played exclusively with the starters. Adams had one hiccup in run support, filling the wrong gap and allowing a 9-yard run. With Matt Forte (hamstring) and Bilal Powell (neck) sitting out, Elijah McGuire got a chance to show his stuff with the starters. When he had room to run, which wasn't often, he was a split-second slow to the hole. He finished with 7 yards on six carries. Pass-rusher Dylan Donahue was in uniform but didn't play. No reason was given.
How 'bout that D? The Jets didn't allow a touchdown. You never want to read too much into the first preseason game -- quarterback Marcus Mariota played only two series -- but let's give credit where it's due. The Jets had eight sacks and two takeaways.
One reason to be concerned: The running game was nonexistent, fullbacks Julian Howsare and Anthony Firkser each dropped a pass and Lachlan Edwards shanked a 14-yard punt. Sorry, that's three reasons.
Plenty of hands: Fourteen different players -- 14! -- caught at least one pass. That's remarkable, even for the preseason. The question is: Did any of the young receivers step up? Anderson and Peake flashed in limited action, but no one else really jumped out. At some point, the front office will have to decide whether to ride with the kids or bring in a veteran.
That guy could start: Outside linebacker Josh Martin (one sack, one QB hit, one fumble recovery), who has been getting some first-team reps in practice, replaced Jordan Jenkins and displayed burst on the edge. Both outside-linebacker positions are wide open, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Martin works his way into the base defense.