Jets and Giants will both need luck to avoid Father Time this season

The Jets and the Giants entered this season will extremely similar expectations. They both were expected to make the playoffs.

Sunday’s nip and tuck games – a Jets’ 23-22 loss at home to the Bengals and a 20-19 Giants win in Texas – did nothing to erase those expectations. In fact, you could easily make the case that the Jets’ home loss to Cincinnati was more impressive than the Giants’ win over a questionable Cowboys team.

Anytime you win or lose by just one point, luck obviously plays a big factor. Luck will also play an enormous role for both the Jets and Giants this season as both teams will be relying on players who are long in the tooth.

Darrelle Revis looked every one of his 31-years on Sunday as he was burned to a crisp by Cincinnati’s AJ Green. Now, Green is arguably the top wide receiver in football – but Revis’ job is to shutdown or at least contain the best WRs in the game. He did neither on Sunday, and suddenly that five year, $70 million contract he signed last year is an embarrassment.

Revis could very well rebound – he’s started off slow before – but Sunday’s performance was cause for legit alarm.

On the flip side, the Jets’ other superstar player who desperately wishes it was 2010 – Matt Forte – was brilliant for New York on Sunday. He ran the ball 22 times for 96 yards, and caught five passes for 59 yards. All told, Forte accounted for 45 percent of the Jets’ yards against Cincy.

Both Revis and Forte have tall tasks for older players on Thursday as they and the Jets will face the Bills in Orchard Park on a short week (Thursday, 8:25 p.m., CBS).

Cruzin’ along

Everyone had to have felt great for Victor Cruz on Sunday as he grabbed the game-winning touchdown against Dallas. Cruz, of course, hasn’t played a full NFL season since 2012 due to major leg injuries and finally got back in the end zone against rival Dallas.

Cruz was mighty efficient against the Cowboys as he was targeted four times by Eli Manning and caught all four of the passes thrown his way. Cruz is only 29-years-old but it’s most definitely an “old 29.”

Rookie receiver Sterling Shepard was also targeted four times by Manning and finished with three grabs, including a touchdown.

Odell Beckham Jr. was targeted eight times by Manning and finished with four catches for 73 yards.

The Giants now shift their focus to Week 2, as they will host the Saints on Sunday at MetLife (1 p.m., FOX).