Three Jets Who Deserve Praise In Preseason Win Against The Steelers

The New York Jets won a professional football game. That may not be a statement that we hear a lot this season, but in the preseason, we’ll take it. Following their loss against the Buccaneers in the first preseason game of 2026, the Jets traveled to the west side of Pennsylvania to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the preseason may not matter a ton, the Jets defense played their hearts out, and the offense did well enough for the Jets to put this game away, 17-0. This is always a very welcome sight to see players on the Jets doing well, for a team that has now been rebuilding for over a decade.

The Jets got off to a seven-to-nothing lead in the first quarter when Geno Smith found Jelani Woods for a 13-yard touchdown with just over nine minutes to go. After that, it was a bit of a punt fest for both teams as their punters each saw a lot of time on the field in the first. The Jets defense came alive in the second quarter, picking up not one, but two interceptions. This is a feat that the Jets haven’t seen in close to two years. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Jets managed to score 10 more points to really put this game away. The Jets defense pitched a shutout and stood tall. So, which three Jets players deserve praise in their win against Pittsburgh?

Offense: Geno Smith, QB

Entering this game, Geno Smith knew he had a lot to prove to the fans of Gang Green. The last time we saw Smith in a green and white uniform, it ended badly. While the preseason may not be the best indication, his performance against the Steelers was nearly perfect. He looked absolutely incredible out there. He knew where to throw the ball, how to throw the ball, and looked not even remotely close to the Smith of old. This performance was certainly something to build off of.

Geno Smith in His First Preseason Action Back With the Jets:

7/7, 65 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT, 144.9 Rating pic.twitter.com/YfYfJr50Bn

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) August 22, 2026

Smith finished the game playing in just a single drive. No shocker there since it’s preseason ball. But it’s what he did in that one drive that matters. He connected on all seven of his passes thrown for 65 yards. Smith targeted Adonai Mitchell his first two times throwing the ball. The first pass was eight yards, and the second was a massive 21-yard gain. He followed this up with a 10-yard pass to Mason Taylor to move the ball even closer to the Steelers’ end zone. He found Braelon Allen for five yards, and followed this up with a 10-yard throw to Garrett Wilson.

The icing on the cake came when he found Jets tight end Jelani Woods for a 13-yard reception. All in one drive, Smith targeted five receivers, completed 100% of his passes, and even managed to get a touchdown to his credit. This was a very fun sight to witness. Nobody is expecting the Jets to be a playoff team this year. However, if they can just play some fun, competitive football, we as fans may be in a much better spot than we were this time last year.

Defense: Nate Lynn, DE

For New York Jets fans who were unfamiliar with Nate Lynn before Friday’s preseason victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, chances are that some of his new teammates found themselves in the same predicament. Nate Lynn, a former FCS All-American at William & Mary, signed with the Jets as an extra camp body earlier this week. He’d been unemployed since the Titans waived him this past April, though he’d previously played for Aaron Glenn when the two overlapped on the 2024 Lions.

Trust us when we say that the majority of the jets locker room woke up on Saturday morning knowing Lynn’s name. How could you look him in the eyes and struggle to remember who he is following a two-sack performance? Without overreacting to an unexpected preseason breakout, there’s no denying that Lynn left an incredible impression, and social media is understandably fired up. Regardless of how much the starters play against the Giants next weekend, Lynn has already earned continued snaps. Although Pro Football Focus grades are notoriously divisive, the service saw enough of Lynn to give him an 89.9 grade, the fifth-highest among Jets players.

impressive night at the office for Nate Lynn

: #NYJvsPIT on @NFLonCBS, @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/mNY71ta5uy

— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 22, 2026

When PFF grades and the eye test are in lockstep, that’s when some fans really start paying attention. Those hoping for Lynn to immediately start putting up Myles Garrett-like numbers should temper their expectations, and not solely because Garrett is among the greatest pass-rushers in league history. Barring injury, Lynn’s best-case scenario is likely landing on the jets practice squad, at least to start the season. But being on a practice squad is far better than waiting for a camp opportunity, an experience that Lynn endured for nearly four months. Occasionally, good things still come to those who wait.

Special Teams: Austin McNamara, P

When the punter is the best player on special teams in a game, it usually is a bad sign. However, not in this case. This was a defensive war at times between both teams before the Jets really put this one away in the fourth quarter. The rest of the game saw a punt off between the Jets punter Austin McNamara, and Steelers punter, Cameron Johnston. Truthfully, both McNamara and Johnston deserve a ton of praise for doing their job in a game that turned out to be one of field position.

McNamara finished the game with six punts for a total of 287 yards. He averaged 47.8 yards per punt, and managed to land two of them inside of the 20-yard line. His longest punt of the day came at the end of the first quarter with just 19 seconds left. With the Jets all the way backed up to within their 25 yard line, they needed this punt to be nearly perfect. Thankfully, McNamara was the man for the job. This punt completely switched field position, backing up the Steelers all the way to their 30-yard line. Ironically, as the Steelers were driving down the field, this led to the Jets first pick in close to two years when Andre Cisco picked off Will Howard.

While the kicker position was one that was up in the air a little bit, it’s safe to say Austin McNamara has the punter spot on lock. With this season being a very up in the air one with how good/bad the Jets are expected to be, McNamara could play a pivotal role in the Jets game plan. Having him on his game could easily help the Jets not get blown out in games of field position, and that was on full display on Friday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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