Geno Smith Opens With a Perfect Touchdown Drive
The Jets shut out the Steelers 17-0 at Acrisure Stadium on August 21. Geno Smith led a touchdown on his only series, while Cade Klubnik’s five series ended scoreless before Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook handled the remaining possessions. The official recap also records four sacks and two takeaways, giving the shutout a defensive counterweight to the longer test for the reserve offense.
Smith completed all seven of his passes for 65 yards and a touchdown, according to the official box score. His 10-play, 69-yard possession ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jelani Woods. Smith then left with one complete drive on the record: seven passes, seven completions and seven points.
The Defense and Late Scores Complete the Shutout
The remaining points came in the fourth quarter. The scoring summary lists a Jason Sanders field goal followed by Brady Cook’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Skinner Jr. Those scores extended the opening touchdown into the 17-0 final. The box score has Bailey Zappe completing six of eight passes before Cook went one of two.
Will Howard threw two interceptions, one to Andre Cisco at the Jets’ 8-yard line and another to Samuel Womack III at the Jets’ 23-yard line. The Jets’ official recap shows that both takeaways ended Pittsburgh possessions without points. Rookie David Bailey recorded an 11-yard sack against Howard. The same recap credits Chase Wilson with one sack against Drew Allar and Nate Lynn with two against Allar. The four sacks and two takeaways gave the shutout its defensive substance.
Cade Klubnik Faces a Tougher Five-Series Test
Klubnik finished 10 of 14 for 75 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions, plus 16 rushing yards, as recorded in the official box score. Connor Hughes tracked three punts, a missed field goal and a turnover on downs across Klubnik’s five series. The Jets did not score during that stretch, even as Klubnik completed more than two thirds of his attempts and protected the ball.
Rich Cimini reported that backup protection broke down, Kene Nwangwu missed a blitz pickup and some reads needed to come quicker. He later described the performance as less crisp than Tampa Bay, with two sacks, little work in Pittsburgh territory and no major mistake. The earlier Buccaneers game was a two-series sample in which Klubnik went 5 of 7 without a turnover and led two scoring possessions. Zack Rosenblatt saw sustained pressure and a backup offensive line depth problem. Nick Faria credited Klubnik’s two-minute work but gave the night an incomplete grade because the reserve line was overwhelmed. Klubnik kept the ball out of danger, but pressure repeatedly disrupted the reserve offense and demanded faster decisions on several snaps.
JetCast’s pregame questions focused on passing creation, finishing through the air, responding after the first option disappeared and the continuing QB2 evaluation. The broader preseason opener preview centered on first-unit operation, Klubnik, Bailey, depth jobs and kicking. Klubnik also entered Pittsburgh after a lighter August 19 practice that included a reported late 5-of-5 stretch and two short red-zone touchdowns in the Day 13 session. Against Pittsburgh, his accuracy and ball security held, while the scoreless possessions kept both reserve protection and his response to pressure in the evaluation.
The Rookie Story Extends Beyond Klubnik
Omar Cooper Jr. started in the slot between Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell, according to Connor Hughes. That placed the rookie with the first unit for Friday’s opening possession. Nick Faria noted that Cooper received the first-team slot work over Isaiah Williams.
Bailey’s 11-yard sack came against Howard, according to the official Jets recap. Faria also noted that it was Bailey’s first preseason sack and that he stayed sound against the run.
Faria saw Anez Cooper struggle against Pittsburgh after a stronger performance in the preseason opener.
Backup Tackle and Pass-Rush Depth Stay Under Review
Nick Faria singled out Chukwuma Okorafor’s effort on the intentional-grounding play that left Klubnik without room to escape. In his postgame assessment, Faria identified both Okorafor and Max Mitchell as concerns at backup tackle. That position group was central to the pressure Klubnik faced during his five series.
Faria also identified second-team pass rush as a depth area to monitor. The official recap records Bailey’s sack against Howard and the three sacks by Wilson and Lynn against Allar.
Pittsburgh added evidence on both sides of the depth question. Backup tackle play disrupted the reserve offense, while Faria’s second-team pass-rush concern remains part of New York’s continuing depth evaluation even after the four-sack shutout.