The Jets had just used their third quarterback, Andrew Peasley, in Saturday’s season opener against the Commanders (which the Jets won 20-17 on a last-minute field goal by Austin Siebert), but rookie running back Braelon Allen made waves early in the second quarter when the Jets gave him the ball three times in a row.

He broke through the defense on his first run for 16 yards, then five on the next, finishing with a 24-yard run that put the Jets in position for their first touchdown drive of the afternoon.

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That’s all the Jets needed to see. Allen, the team’s 20-year-old fourth-round pick, showed again that whether it’s on the practice field or in his professional debut, he’s ready for it.

Allen finished the game with 54 yards on nine attempts and impressed everyone with his ability to assert himself despite physical contact.

Including the man ranked ahead of him, Breece Hall.

“He’s a really big, strong guy,” Hall told CBS during the broadcast. “And I feel like I’m a little smaller, but I’m also a big, strong guy. Just from that standpoint, we’re going to be a big challenge for the defense because they’re going to have to attack us, and with me in the passing game and him as a downhill runner, he’s going to be a big jumper for us. I’m excited to see what he can do. He did very well today.”

He certainly has. And there’s every reason to believe he’ll play a big role for the Jets when the regular season begins in less than a month.

A good sign for this starter

Center Joe Tippmann was one of the few starters to play on Saturday, and it was an uneventful day, which was good news for him — after struggling with the snap earlier in training camp. Tippman played two series with backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and while the offense didn’t get going (Taylor finished 1 of 2 for -1 yards and was sacked once), Tippmann had no issues with the snap.

Surely the fact that he got a chance to score in a live game was one of the reasons the Jets let him start in this game (and also to protect Taylor), and he did that.

The Jets also started Olu Fashanu (left tackle), Xavier Newman (left guard), Wes Schweitzer (right guard) and Max Mitchell (left tackle). Fashanu had a quiet but solid day, playing the entire first half alongside Newman. Simpson, Mitchell and Tippmann all left the game before the end of the first quarter.

Fighting the Edge Rusher?

As Haason Reddick’s strike continues, everyone knows Jermaine Johnson is the Jets’ best edge rusher. But it’s been hard to tell who’s next in line in the eyes of the coaching staff, with Will McDonald and Micheal Clemons sharing key sessions in practice.

Saturday didn’t exactly shed much light on the matter, as the duo started the game and were used alternately in the first half. McDonald had the most memorable play of the two, when he broke free of his blocker (a backup) and delivered a hard hit to Washington’s third quarterback Jeff Driskel as he released the ball – but he was penalized for (highly questionable) roughness on the passer on the play.

Clemons landed a heavy blow on Driskel that seemed far more serious but went unpunished.

Neither Clemons nor McDonald stood out in this game. McDonald had no stats and Clemons had just one tackle. That’s not exactly inspiring for last year’s 15th overall pick and Clemons, who is entering his third year, against a replacement offensive line that had some of the replacements playing in the wrong positions.

Malachi Corley’s first impression

Jets rookie Malachi Corley didn’t get off to an ideal start in his preseason debut. He was tackled after his first catch as a pro and lost the ball – trying to find room to run on third-and-long – and looked a little off track while trying to catch a punt (he was primarily a kickoff returner at Western Kentucky).

But he rebounded well and had a solid debut with four catches for 27 yards. Corley didn’t have any spectacular plays against a Commanders defense that consisted mostly of backup players. But he did make an impressive heads-up play in the second quarter when he caught a pass that slipped through tight end Zack Kuntz’s hands just before impact and pushed it forward for a first down.

Jayden Daniels’ (short) debut

Jayden Daniels, selected with the No. 2 overall pick, didn’t get many opportunities to play against the Jets’ backup defense, but he made the most of his brief opportunity. The reigning Heisman winner threw a 42-yard pass on third down and his first and only drive Saturday, finding receiver Dyami Brown, who caught the ball with a spectacular leap over cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse.

A few plays later, Daniels scored a three-yard touchdown run after running the option perfectly. It was a very small sample size for one of the NFL’s most talked-about quarterbacks, but a good start to his (preseason) professional career. He finished 2 of 3 for 45 yards and the three-yard touchdown run.

Remarkable

Here are some players and things that stood out from Saturday’s season opener.

∗Rookie cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers continues to impress. He flew down the field in the first half and made four tackles, including one for a loss. After defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich hinted he would play a role this spring, there’s every reason to believe he’ll be a key special teamer and backup. Bernard-Converse, a second-year cornerback, also got off to a rocky start but made some nice plays, including four tackles and a pass defense. He’s battling to make the roster as a backup in the secondary.

∗One of the loudest cheers of the afternoon was not for a play on the field, but for an Olympic result. During the first half, video boards at MetLife Stadium showed the final highlight of the U.S. women’s soccer team’s victory over Brazil in the gold medal game. The crowd erupted in loud applause and began chanting “USA.” Portions of the soccer game were broadcast live in the stadium before the game.

∗The Jets’ new uniforms are a vast improvement over the ones they’ve worn for the past five seasons. And while this wasn’t exactly a new look — they wore the exact same uniform combination of white tops and white pants with the retro “Jets” logo as they did in last year’s Week 1 win over the Bills — it was a reminder that they’ll look better when the season begins Sept. 9 in Santa Clara, Calif.

You can reach Andy Vasquez at [email protected].