Justin Fields and Jets' passing game sputter in 2 drives in preseason loss to Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Justin Fields and the New York Jets' passing offense were grounded against the Giants.

At least the running game looks ready for the regular season.

Fields, signed to a two-year, $40 million deal in the offseason to replace Aaron Rodgers as the Jets’ starting quarterback, went just 1 of 5 for 4 yards in two series in their 31-12 preseason loss to the Giants as the starting offense mostly stuck to the ground Saturday night.

“Overall, in general, it wasn’t good enough," coach Aaron Glenn said. “I don’t care if it was the starting offense, I don’t care if it was the second-team offense, the third-team offense. I’m just going to say that overall, it wasn’t good enough.”

With Fields running the offense, the Jets ran the ball 13 times for 55 yards — with the quarterback even surpassing his passing total by getting 5 yards on his lone rush.

“Listen, I thought we ran the ball fairly well,” Glenn said. “But overall, I thought we were sloppy. And the guys know that. We had too many dropped passes. Our passing game has to be better, we all know that. And it will be better. But again, we just have to go back to work. That’s what next week is going to be about.”

Trailing 7-0 after the Giants scored on their opening drive, the Jets opened their second possession by running 10 straight plays before an incompletion by Fields on third-and-2 to Garrett Wilson — his former college teammate at Ohio State. The Jets settled for a 38-yard field goal by Nick Folk to cap the drive.

Fields and all the offensive starters other than rookie right tackle Armand Membou were then done for the night, with Adrian Martinez and the backups taking over.

“I think it has to be better,” Fields said. “It wasn’t up to our standard.”

In his preseason debut last Saturday, Fields was 3 of 4 for 42 yards and ran for a 13-yard touchdown to cap a 10-play, 79-yard drive in his lone series against Green Bay.

Fields and the Jets’ passing offense have been among the team's biggest question marks because they have struggled to produce consistently in training camp. There have also been very few long throws by Fields, with lots of dump-offs and checkdowns.

“Yeah, I know,” Fields said with a smile. “I was literally thinking that today on the sideline.”

Fields attributes that to how the defense is performing, not a result of perhaps conservative play=calling by coordinator Tanner Engstrand.

“It’ll come,” Fields said. “You know, no need to force it. When you try to force it, that’s when tipped balls, picks happen. So my mindset is always going to be to take what the defense gives me.”

Glenn has insisted Fields has been developing nicely and doing everything asked of him. Fields has also said focusing on his faith has helped him block out the criticisms that affected him during his first four NFL seasons.

But fans who were antsy about the passing offense heading into this game likely won't feel any better now.

And with the starters uncertain to play in the preseason finale next Friday night at home against Philadelphia — teams often sit out their first-teamers — Fields and the offense might have to wait to ease those concerns until the regular-season opener on Sept. 7 against Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Things actually got off to a promising start against the Giants with Fields' first pass of the game completed to rookie tight end Mason Taylor. But after three consecutive running plays — including a 3-yard run by Braelon Allen on fourth-and-1 — he threw three straight incompletions to end the drive, leading to a punt.

Meanwhile, Martinez was 12 of 21 for 114 yards and an interception before being replaced by Brady Cook in the third quarter. Cook, an undrafted rookie from Missouri, threw a 4-yard TD pass to rookie Quentin Skinner — who made a diving grab — in the fourth quarter.

“I’m going to always say we need to improve,” Fields said. “We have room to improve, and that goes with everything. So you guys can ask me, how do I feel about this, how do I feel about that? It’s going to be the same answer every time. There’s room to grow in every aspect: the offense, myself, just everyone.”

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New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) throws under pressure from New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) slides as New York Giants linebacker Micah McFadden (41) and defensive tackle D.J. Davidson (98) defend during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) rolls out of the pocket against the New York Giants during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's executive on Wednesday warned that it would take action against any “unjustified measures” after the U.S. State Department barred five Europeans it accuses of pressuring U.S. technology firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints.

The Europeans were characterized by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “radical” activists and “weaponized” nongovernmental organizations. They include the former EU commissioner responsible for supervising social media rules, Thierry Breton.

Breton, a businessman and former French finance minister, clashed last year on social media with tech billionaire Elon Musk over broadcasting an online interview with Donald Trump in the months leading up to the U.S. election.

The European Commission, the EU’s powerful executive branch and which supervises tech regulation in Europe, said that it “strongly condemns the U.S. decision to impose travel restrictions” and that it has requested clarification about the move. French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned it.

“If needed, we will respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures,” the commission said in a statement, without elaborating.

Rubio wrote in an X post on Tuesday that “for far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose.”

“The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship,” he posted.

The European Commission countered that “the EU is an open, rules-based single market, with the sovereign right to regulate economic activity in line with our democratic values and international commitments.”

“Our digital rules ensure a safe, fair, and level playing field for all companies, applied fairly and without discrimination,” it said.

Macron said that the visa restrictions “amount to intimidation and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty,” he posted on X.

Macron said that the EU’s digital rules were adopted by “a democratic and sovereign process” involving all member countries and the European Parliament. He said that the rules “ensure fair competition among platforms, without targeting any third country.”

He underlined that “the rules governing the European Union’s digital space are not meant to be determined outside Europe.”

Breton and the group of Europeans fell afoul of a new visa policy announced in May to restrict the entry of foreigners deemed responsible for censorship of protected speech in the United States.

The four others are: Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate; Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, leaders of HateAid, a German organization; and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index.

Rubio said the five had advanced foreign government censorship campaigns against Americans and U.S. companies, which he said created “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the United States.

The action to bar them from the U.S. is part of a Trump administration campaign against foreign influence over online speech, using immigration law rather than platform regulations or penalties.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Sarah Rogers, the U.S. under secretary of state for public diplomacy, called Breton the “mastermind” behind the EU’s Digital Services Act, which imposes a set of strict requirements designed to keep internet users safe online. This includes flagging harmful or illegal content like hate speech.

Breton responded on X by noting that all 27 EU member countries voted for the Digital Services Act in 2022. “To our American friends: ‘Censorship isn’t where you think it is,’” he wrote.

Angela Charlton contributed to this report from Paris.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a news conference at the State Department, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)