Analysis: Jets have just the weapon to hurt a short-handed defense By Jeff Legwold The Denver Post Posted: 10/14/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT Chart the New York Jets' passing attack from their first five games of the season and it's easy to see why tight end Dustin Keller will have a big role Sunday against the Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High. Keller, a Purdue product, has caught five of Mark Sanchez's eight touchdown passes in the Jets' 4- 1 start. Keller also has five of the team's 10 receptions of at least 20 yards. Three of those came against the New England Patriots — a 22- yarder, a 39-yarder and a 21-yarder. The Patriots and Broncos play similar defensive schemes. Denver's defensive resources are limited this week. Starters out because of injuries are safety Brian Dawkins, linebacker Robert Ayers and cornerback André Goodman. Backups unavailable because of injuries are safety Darcel McBath and linebacker Wesley Woodyard. The Broncos have used McBath and Woodyard in specialty packages, including against tight ends t hey believed would present a matchup problem. The Broncos still have star cornerback Champ Bailey to match against an outside wide receiver and they can provide some help covering the other wideout. Santonio Holmes is the Jets' most explosive receiver, but he just returned from an NFL-ordered suspension last week and caught only three passes Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings. Denver may decide to let rookie cornerback Perrish Cox fend for himself more against the Jets to provide coverage help elsewhere on the field, but he had two penalties in the 31-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens when he was playing single coverage. So that could be a risky move. The Broncos could simply drop back and play zone coverage to keep everything in front of them, but the Jets have the running game to pound away at a defense that isn't minding the line of scrimmage. But overall, the biggest dilemma in dealing with a short-handed defense will come in the middle of the field where the Jets can run wideout Brad Smith in a slot position or use Keller. Those are going to be the most difficult matchups for the Broncos to overcome.
Analysis: Jets willing to pound away with run game By Jeff Legwold The Denver Post Posted: 10/15/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT When Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson visited the New York Jets this year as he was trying to decide where to sign, he didn't say much because he "kind of just wanted to soak it all in." It turns out Tomlinson had a pretty good idea of what he wanted, and the Jets were what he needed at this point in his career. He needed a team devoted to the run in these chuck-it- around times in the NFL. The Jets are just that, with only the Falcons and Jaguars having run the ball more often this season. The Jets are the league's top rushing team, at just more than 165 yards per game. Tomlinson needed a place, now that he's 31, where he didn't have to get all the carries. The Jets are that with Shonn Greene as the team's starter. And because the Jets are so committed to the running game, Greene and Tomlinson both get plenty of carries, which presents a challenge for the Broncos on Sunday. Or as Broncos defensive coordinator Don Martindale put it Thursday, "They rode the Greene kid all the way to the AFC championship (game), and then they just added a Hall of Famer." The Broncos don't have a player averaging 3 yards a carry, but Greene is at 4.5 and Tomlinson at a heady 5.7. And since losing their opener 10-9 to the Ravens (4-1), the Jets have reeled off four consecutive wins and have scored at least 28 points in those games. Tomlinson also is tied for second on the team in receptions, with 17. "I always tell people I thought he'd be outstanding," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "But he's been better than that." What makes the Jets difficult to defend in the running game is that they are far more willing to pound away at a defense stacked to stop it. They don't care how many players an opponent puts on the line of scrimmage. If Ryan wants to run it at that moment, the Jets will call consistently call run plays against eight- man fronts. They also consistently gain yardage, Advertisement which is why they have run the ball at least 29 times in four games, at least 32 times in three — all wins. Tomlinson gives them a third-down profile as well because of his ability as a receiver out of the backfield. Together, Greene and Tomlinson will also be fresher later in games than most of the defenses trying to defend them. In all four of their wins, they have run the ball at least 16 times in the second half, including 22 second-half runs against the Patriots and 25 second-half runs against the Bills. That's patience, and the Jets have the backs to play that way. Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denver- post.com
nice analysis. I've posted in other threads....that the key for the Jets to win...is to run the ball down their throats, control the clock, and keep the Denver offense on the sidelines.
For some reason, the second everyone in the media starts keying in on the fact that Keller is a formidable weapon for the Jets, he disappears in the games. The Jets should be leaning heavily on him this Sunday.
Maybe we should call him Thor then, I really think this Revis Christ business is coming back to haunt us. It was blasphemy and we are now being punished for it. 1.You shall have no other gods before me 2.You shall not make for yourself an idol Throw in some greed and we're fucked- lol
the first article is incorrect. it said keller has caught 5 of marks 8 TDs but he didn't. keller has 5 TDs but 1 came from brad smith. he caught 4 of sanchez's TDs the other 4 went to braylon (3) and Cochery (1)
Everyone is blessed with 20/20 hindsight. I was jazzed at the Jets getting LT, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little concerned at the loss of Faneca even if I could understand the logic to it.
Two thoughts: 1) Anyone else think it's poor scheduling to have a home monday night game followed by a west coast type trip 6 days later? 2) Who is Cromatie going to be able to cover? The Broncos run a fast paced passing game. He's done well against Moss twice and he had a good game against Lee Evans which may have been a product of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Against Miami, Baltimore and the first half of the pats game he couldn't stay with anyone unless they are running deep patterns. He's like the Randy Moss of defense. I'm terrified of how he's going to do when he has to cover a small quick reciever.
