I am pretty down own green and I think the problem is equal parts green/OL. Green just does not have much burst. If we started LT, i am sure you would see a marked increase in production. Shotty does not help the matter by lame brain running constantly up the gut, with little variation.
I charted out the offensive played from the first 2 games. No runs outside the tackles in game 1, a few in game 2 (which were all good gains), and a few more in the first half yesterday for good gains. I know we can't go to the well all of the time- but it's still not enough. Greene is deceptively fast when he gets outside an makes the turn. When he gets his head of steam, he can run over people. You can't expect him to run over DL men with a few steps to get going up the middle.
Good post. And a lot of that is playcalling. I will say upfront I am a Greene fan, but I felt some frsutration with his vision yesterday. Sometimes it looked like he could have cut outside but instead cut inside and into the arms of a defender.
I don't really disagree with most of this, but I think expecting flawless performances from any QB, especially one with a suspect line and mediocre-at-best running game, is expecting way too much. There isn't a QB in the league who's been even close to flawless through 3 games, and that's to be expected. Also, while you're saying that he isn't taking what the defense gives him, other people are complaining about the "dink and dunk", which was exactly that. The fact is that despite the terrible line play the Jets offense gained more than 450 yards yesterday, with 3 TDs (plus whatever would have happened at the end if time hadn't been running down) and 1 turnover. I really don't understand how anyone can put the blame on the QB in that situation. So far this year he's completing 63% of his passes, with a yards per attempt average almost 8. I would argue that the only thing he's done wrong (and it's definitely wrong) is a couple of brainless INTs.
I thought Greene played good yesterday. He was running really hard. He is still good. Our defense cant let up 35 points and expect to win.. simple as that...
He actually had 2 good playoff games in his rookie year: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/9329/gamelog;_ylt=Ap4fqIKmGbDYijwX_LuKOMf.uLYF?year=2009 and had 3 100 yard games, along with averaging 5 yards a carry. I think he's pretty good when he has the blocking up front to get him to the next level where he can punish defenders. The Jets run blocking has gotten progressively worse since Greene's rookie year. As a rookie Greene had the following oline: Ferguson,Faneca,Mangold,Moore and Woody with T-Rich as fullback. In 2011 he has: Ferguson,Slauson, Baxter, Moore, Hunter with John Conner as fullback. What do we expect?
I don't think he's regressed - the O-line is in tatters right now. Halfbacks who can thrive with a weakened o-line are few and far between
It's time to bring in Joe Mcknight into the rotation. Greene is not a every down consistent runningback.
Greene has 157 yards total in four games as our feature back. No matter what other problems we may have with the line or the play calling or the lack of attempts that is just abysmal. There are backs pretty much every week that get 150 yards in a game and this guy can't average 40 yards a week? Pathetic.
I don't know where people expect Greene to run. LT had 3 carries for -3 yards. McKnight wouldn't fare any better. Put Adrian Peterson back there for all I care, it's tough finding yardage when there are 3 defensive players in the backfield after you're handed the ball.
We've been without Mangold for basically 3 games out of 4. I can't blame Greene for this fiasco until he has competent blockers ahead of him.
Edit- didn't see the sate posted, sorry. Schotty isn't calling plays to hide and protect a weak line so runners are clogging up the line and sprinting towards Sanchez, no time for play development. SG needs a head of steam to get going but doesnt have that time because plays aren't adjusting to the reality that our line is in shambles and SG's strengths.
Again for this week: As others have mentioned, you could have had Peterson back there last night, it wouldn't have mattered much.
O-line is pure shit right now - there really aren't that many backs that could thrive with what we have right now. Even LT in his prime would struggle with this
I hate to say it but maybe Shonn Greene = Lamont Jordan? A guy who was explosive and productive in a limited role, but turned out not to be a guy who can carry the load for a team. (although Jordan did have one 1,000 yard season for the Raiders) I hope I'm wrong.
