Jets HBO 'Hard Knocks' 2023: Best Fan Tweets, Memes from Episode 4

Preseason games might not count in the standings.

But they certainly count for bragging rights when it's the battle for New York.

The New York Jets' preseason game against the New York Giants took center stage in Tuesday's episode of Hard Knocks, but that also meant some additional practice stress with the Big Apple showdown looming. Even future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers was feeling it.

There was a stretch when the offense struggled with false starts, dropped passes and made mistakes on routes, and Rodgers was visibly upset and cursing. That's when he tapped into his inner coach and started designing routes for Garrett Wilson, Randall Cobb and the other receivers.

Things naturally improved after the quarterback became angry, which viewers noticed:

Rodgers may be the star of the offense, but he shared the starring role of Tuesday's episode with Nathaniel Hackett.

The offensive coordinator teased Rodgers about getting his hair cut by a Flowbee, told his team he expects them to dance together when they score a touchdown and said the Jets will be calling the red zone the gold zone with a reference to Goldmember from Austin Powers.

While this year's Hard Knocks isn't focusing as much on player cuts like in the past, defensive lineman Tanzel Smart—who has since been released—and wide receiver Jerome Kapp—who has since been waived—were highlighted during Tuesday's episode.

Smart embraced the time he called a charcuterie board a "car coochie board" and made some for his fellow defensive linemen, while Kapp earned a shoutout from Eminem himself after he brought the house down in last week's episode by performing one of Slim Shady's raps from the movie 8 Mile:

Attention eventually turned to the game but not before a memorable Sopranos homage with head coach Robert Saleh driving to the stadium and looking at the scenery in his rearview mirror.

It was Rodgers' first game experience with the Jets, and all that anger in practice paid off with a touchdown pass to Wilson. New York's AFC team also got two touchdown passes from Tim Boyle to Alex Erickson in the fourth quarter to secure the 32-24 victory.

"The Jets have big plans to own this town, maybe even the whole league," narrator Liev Schreiber said after the game.

The next step in making those plans a reality is the season opener against the Buffalo Bills.