Giants vs. Jets 2015 preseason: "Five Questions" with Gang Green Nation

The New York Giants host the New York Jets Saturday (7 p.m. ET) in the annual MetLife Bowl, or "Snoopy Bowl" if you prefer. It is the NY/NJ Giants-Jets fans bragging rights game. More importantly from a football perspective, it is the dress rehearsal game for the regular season. Starters will play their most extensive amount of the preseason to gauge their readiness. Let's kick off our Giants-Jets specific coverage for the week with a traditional "Five Questions" segment.

Scott Salmon of SB Nation's Jets web site, Gang Green Nation, has graciously answered our questions about the other team that calls MetLife Stadium home. Let's see what we can learn. Be sure to visit GGN to see my answers to scott's questions once those are posted.

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Ed: It seems like impressions of Todd Bowles have been favorable thus far. Why can Bowles succeed with the Jets where others have failed?

Scott: For the first time in a long time, it feels like the adults are at the table. Unlike Rex Ryan, Bowles is focused on being a head coach and not just a defensive coordinator. Unlike Eric Mangini, Bowles is open and transparent. So, while it's still early, it seems like Bowles isn't just the one dimensional cartoon that the Jets have had in the past 10+ years. The early reviews are that he's the most complete head coach the team has had since Bill Parcells, his mentor.

Ed: The whole Geno Smith broken jaw fiasco would lead you to think he isn't really respected in the locker room. Can he possibly lead the Jets and be a success with them?

Scott: Ultimately, if Smith can play well, he'll be well respected in the locker room. Winning is all that matters. Ryan Fitzpatrick, while apparently a good leader, has been uninspiring in the limited time we've seen him. If Smith is given another shot when he returns, and can continue the excellent play he had in training camp until his injury, I think the team will rally around him regardless.

Ed: Thoughts on your draft class at this point. Any guys who have really impressed you? Guys who have made you wonder why the Jets drafted them?

Scott: So far, the draft class seems to be encouraging, which wasn't something we could say last year at this time. Leonard Williams is as advertised, and could probably be a day one starter on the majority of teams in the league. Lorenzo Mauldin has shown excellent motor but has struggled to finish. Devin Smith is a bit of a question mark since he's been injured for much of camp with broken ribs and a punctured lung. I've been leery of Bryce Petty since he was drafted, as I thought the first round, not to mention trading up for him, was a big reach. However, while he looked shoddy in the first game, he looked significantly better last week. He's still a very long-term project, but he isn't as awful as I thought he'd be.

Ed: Seriously, do you really care about the end result of this game? It's Giants-Jets, sure, but in the end it's a meaningless preseason game.

Scott: This is the only game that matters to me this season. I've had it marked on my calendar since last year. Just kidding. No, it doesn't matter at all. I just want everyone to come out healthy, and if Darrelle Revis can shut out Odell Beckham, Jr., good.

Ed: Do you believe that in the end the 2015 Jets will be a playoff team? Why or why not?

Scott: Probably not. Overall, the roster has the talent to be one. But there are just too many question marks at quarterback to take them too seriously. Smith or Fitzpatrick might turn out to be good this season, but neither has sniffed the playoffs, so until they do, I'm not really even thinking about it.