Leon Washington might be the next Barry Sanders, but we'll never know it. Why isn't he our starting running back again? He makes the most out of a bad offensive line...imagine if we had a good line?
I don't think he could hold up for 20 carries a game. Don't get me wrong, if we had huge holes for him to run through all the time then sure why not, but in it's current incarnation the offensive line seems better suited to a guy like Jones who can take a pounding.
I agree that only TJ would probably be able to hold up over the course of the game, but Leon seems to be much more effective overall. Gotta split carries 50/50 and use more 2-back sets in my opinion here.
Which gives us this situation: Washington: More likely to make plays with this line, more likely to get hurt. Jones: Less likely to make plays with this line, less likely to get hurt. Injuries are a part of football. Leon could just as easily blow out his knee on a kickoff return. I don't think you can keep your best option at running back off the field just because you're afraid he'll get hurt. Nobody was smaller than Barry Sanders, and he did not always have the best offensive line, but he made the best of it. It's sad to think that a player like Sanders would be limited in today's NFL just because people don't think he could handle the impact at the position. *note: I'm not actually saying Leon is Barry Sanders, but they are similiar in size and running style.
Looks like their were 62 plays, and Leon touched the ball on 12 of them. I'm cool with giving him 20% of the touches, but do it on a CONSISTENT basis- not twice a season.
Leon is the man, loved the kid since the day we drafted him. I feel proud wearing my authentic white #29 jersey after wins.
For the first time I catually thought the running game looked quite balanced with TJs north -south running and Leons zippy change of pace. Looked good , yeah I know Miami are 30 something against the run.
Washington made Schottenheimer look good today when the playcalling was questionable at best..... That, and a couple of TIGHT throws by our young signal caller...
Rip him if you think its necessary – but he’s our biggest offensive playmaker. I would take him with a broken leg over Brad Smith any day.
Leon is becoming a Dolphin killer. That is his 3rd big game against the Dolphins. Much credit to Schotts. He got Leon today in matchups that were to his benefit. HE isolated him against the Dolphins VERY SLOW LB's on 3 sepoarate occassions on pass routes.Two were completions and the third was defensed nicely by Taylor who knocked the ball away. HE also used him on runs outsiode the tackles again capitalizing on the slow miami LB's His TD run at the end was great. The little guy could have run out of bounds, but instead put his shoulder down and drove the DB back a yard or two and got into the endzone...
Washington is the Jets best playmaker at this point. The argument for not giving him more touches is to avoid injury in this waste of a season. Next year he should be getting 50% of the touches that Jets tailbacks get between the running and passing games. Herm basically ruined Lamont Jordan's development by limiting him to far too few touches over his first three seasons. I'd hate to see Leon 4 years out if he's suppressed repeatedly.
The guy makes plays....and he's been a Dolphin killer since we drafted him, you have the root for him. Go Leon!
