It's just week 2 but so far how do you feel about the Jets running game? I feel a bit ambivalent about this.
The run blocking has sucked and our running game has started off slow the last 2 years under Rex/Schotty/Sanchez.
eh. not really. remember LT last year? Thomas Jones still churned out yards in 2009 too. our run blocking is MUCH worse this year. pass protection too. it's just been bad Greene doesn't have any holes to run through. Teams are getting a lot of penetration at the line of scrimmage.
O line is the foundation for the offense. Poor foundation = poor run/pass protection. Hunter really has to step up and Baxter needs to show up with a chip on his shoulder.
It looked to me in both games that we were more successful running the ball off-tackle, instead of into the teeth of the DL. For whatever reason. As for the OP, it's the OL. Greene has nowhere to go.
The Jets were playing behind for pretty much the entire game against the Cowboys. The OL has been playing like shit and the Mangold injury doesn't help
The OL is looking like the weak link of this team so far (by a long shot). If our backups don't step up to the challenge quickly we could be in for serious trouble. Aside from Sanchez getting injured, Mangold going down is about the worst thing that possibly could have happened.
"Jets not running the ball enough" I don't understand the premise. Not enough for you? They won their games, and the thought has never crossed my mind that 'we won, but we should have run more'. If we ran it into the line 50 times for 2 yards a carry and lost the game, I would probably think "We tried to run the ball too much when it wasn't working'. Anyway, problems with the running game are all about blocking and the line. And it's likely the running schemes may not be helping. Shonn Greene didn't forget how to run with a football. The Jets will win some games with the run, some with the pass, some with the defense, and some with special teams. Unlike many teams, our success isn't completely dependent on one man's right arm.
The OL hasn't looked solid and they came apart yesterday once Mangold went down. WTF was with Hunter and the dumb penalties, then Moore was called for dumb penalties. It's a good thing is was the Jags and they suck or that game would have been a lot closer if we were playing a top flight opponent. I also agree, we have looked much better when we get the ball outside. I think the issue has to do with replacing a starter and then not having an offseason to work with the team. A lot of the OL has to do with timing so hopefully as the season grows these guys will get it down although losing Mangold for 2 weeks sucks.
With this holdout, I've always thought that this years success was going to come down to how many Vets you can hang onto and how good your D is. I'm looking around the league and there aren't too many offenses that are going lights out great, ('cept for the F'n Pats!). With injuries ravishing our O line, we have seen first hand how difficult this season is going to be, but we will not have the monopoly on injuries , other teams will also experience it. This season is going to be all about Teams Defenses, and fortunately for us we have one of the best.
Might have something to do with the fact we run multiple TE sets instead of good old jumbo packages. Last year we had the OL (with Woody) + Hunter & Turner... this year I have yet to see us with 6/7 OL on the field.
The Pats have also been able to keep their OL in tact for a very long time. Love him or hate him but Belli knows having a great QB starts with having a great OL.
it's not the thought that "we won but we should have run more", it's more like "we won without running this game but can we sustain this all season without production out of the run game?". and it's not just the fact we're not running. it's the pass protection/overall offensive line play that makes it more alarming
I'm not sure what's up with Wayne Hunter. He wasn't this bad last year. he played well when he became the starter and blocked plenty of great pass rushers like Mathis and Harrison for example. the only time i remember him getting knocked around last year was when Woody got injured in the Texans game and Mario Williams threw him around like a rag doll. But after he was named the starting RT and practiced with the 1's, he played well. just a lot of stupid mistakes also
It was funny in the game that just as the commentators said something about Hunter starting to get his act together he gave away a 15yd penalty.
Its too early in the season,we have always had a good running no matter who was on that line,Rex will fix it as for Greene the way he runs into the pile is impressive everytime i think he will come out of it injured,just boom...no wonder in the 4th qtr those Dlinemen never want any part of him...
You also have to blame the play calling. The Jets are still very predictable with regard to running on first down and are facing 8 men in the box. That also hurts Sanchez, who is having to make too many 2nd and 8 and 3rd and long throws. How many short yardage situations have the Jets been in so far? Two?
They really really miss Woody. His best talent was his run blocking ability. Even so, Greene has looked tentative and I think LT should get another shot.
Hunter looks like shit to this point, now that Mangold is hurting this O line is in trouble. We all said it during the preseason that we needed depth and there it is. Whatever cap space we have left needs to go to the O line today....
We drafted McKnight last year what does he have 2 carries in garbage time? We drafted Powell in round 4 he hasn't been activated. Seems like we aren't committed to running the ball this year.
