Glauber: Namath warns of blowback from being blowhards

As Rex Ryan and his barnstorming Jets continue on their merry way toward the regular season, former Jets quarterback Joe Namath offers a few words of caution.

Namath issued the most famous guarantee in the history of professional sports more than four decades ago before the Jets beat the Colts in Super Bowl III. But even Namath is taken aback at the level of trash talk coming from Ryan and his players.

"If they can win, it's great," Namath told me before last night's Jets-Giants preseason opener at the New Meadowlands Stadium. "I make of it less than what the opposition does. I take it with a good laugh and a good sense of humor. But you look around the league, and 31 other teams don't like it [even] a little bit.

"You better get out there and put up because [the Jets] are going to have to shut up big-time if they don't keep putting up."

Namath does like what he sees from this year's team, from the maturing of second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez, to the additions of Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie and Jason Taylor, to the coaching of Ryan and his staff.

"This is the second year, and they're going to be better," he said. "They understand the terminology, and the coaches don't have to install a new system."

But the coaches have pumped up the volume of expectation, with HBO's "Hard Knocks" adding even more juice. It's a fine line to walk, Namath says, although he won't go so far as to suggest that Ryan dial it back.

"That's not for me to say," Namath said. "If they can win that way, God bless 'em. Keep on, carry on. Do more. As long as the wins add up, that's fine. But as soon as the wins - if that were to stop happening - then the payback will be coming."

If Sanchez does take that next step, and if the Jets' acquisitions blend in with the solid core of players already on the roster, then this really will be a meaningful season.

In the meantime, some observations off last night's action:

Eli Manning was lucky to come out of that second-quarter collision with just a 3-inch gash on his head and not a concussion. It was a brutal hit from behind by Jets linebacker Calvin Pace, who knocked Manning's helmet completely off and forced him to collide with Jim Leonhard.

Interesting that the Giants went with running back Ahmad Bradshaw ahead of incumbent Brandon Jacobs. Bradshaw is a far shiftier back, but Jacobs was the workhorse runner last year. Helping Bradshaw's cause was a 51-yard run off a short pass from Manning in the second quarter.

Plenty of offensive line shuffling from the Giants, who went with tackle David Diehl at left guard in place of the injured Rich Seubert and Guy Whimper at right guard for Chris Snee.

Sanchez rallied nicely from the interception on his first series. The Giants scored an eventual TD after Antrel Rolle's pick, but Sanchez led three scoring drives.

A decent debut for LaDainian Tomlinson, who showed some quickness, especially on a 14-yard first-half reception. Still a long way to go.

A sack by Giants rookie Jason Pierre-Paul, who beat veteran right tackle Damien Woody with a nice move.