Chris Johnson expects Jets to flex him out 'a lot' as a wide receiver http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/20...to_flex_him_out_a_lot_as_a_wide_receiver.html Catching passes was a big part of running back Chris Johnson’s game during his first six NFL seasons, all of which he spent with the Titans. Johnson caught anywhere between 36 and 57 passes in those seasons. His career receiving totals: 272 catches for 2,003 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnson averaged anywhere between 5.6 and 10.1 yards per catch with the Titans. The Jets signed Johnson during free agency. His receiving skills are one asset they hoped he could offer their sputtering West Coast offense. Last offseason, the Jets signed running back Mike Goodson, believing he would be able to catch passes out of the backfield. But between an offseason arrest that led to a four-game suspension, and a season-ending knee injury, Goodson wound up playing just two games last season, and making two catches for 19 yards. The Jets cut him this offseason. Enter Johnson, a former 2,000-yard rusher who could very well take over as the Jets’ primary back, in terms of carries. The Jets continue to say they plan to use Johnson in tandem with power back Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell. (A Johnson-Ivory pairing on the field together is also a fairly intriguing prospect.) Last season, Powell was the Jets’ receiving threat out of the backfield. He had 36 catches for 272 yards (7.6 per catch). Ivory made just two catches. Not only will the Jets have Johnson catch passes out of the backfield, you could also see him flexed out as a wide receiver. Johnson said that based on what he has seen and done so far in training camp, he could flex out “a lot more” than he did in Tennessee. It is yet another way the Jets can use his speed. “We practiced that stuff in Tennessee, but pretty much when the game came, we didn’t do a lot of it,” Johnson said. “But it seems like we’ll be focusing on that a lot around here. I like it. That’s just another way that Marty (Mornhinweg, the offensive coordinator) is going to have a chance to get me in space and get me in the open field. Whatever things he’s got planned, I’m liking it right now.” The Jets play their first preseason game at home Thursday night, against the Colts. Maybe Mornhinweg will not use those plays with Johnson flexed out, wary of putting them on film at this early juncture. (No sense in tipping your hand in a meaningless game, right? Then again, there is the reality that the Jets want to work on plays against an opponent, in order to perfect them.) Johnson definitely will play in the game, in some capacity. It will mark his first time being tackled to the ground by opposing players since he underwent offseason knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. After Saturday night’s intrasquad scrimmage, he talked about getting the butterflies out with that first tackle to the ground. He expects Thursday night to be yet another hurdle for him to clear, in regard to taking contact. “It’ll be pretty much the same in a live game,” he said. “I’m pretty sure after the first play, everything will get back to the same (as normal).” The Jets have given Johnson just one full practice off in training camp, to rest his knee. He said the knee “feels great,” adding that he hasn’t had to wear a brace, which he considers to be encouraging. As a veteran with 1,742 career carries on his body, Johnson does not need a specific number of carries in the preseason before he feels ready. But rather, as he enters a new offense with the Jets that could demand varied duties from him, he just wants to reach the point where things feel smooth in Mornhinweg’s system. “I don’t think a number of carries (in preseason games is required to feel comfortable),” he said. “I think pretty much just trying to get comfortable, and once you’re in there and you get comfortable, I think your own body will know when it’s enough.”
I love it. Great plan. He is my favorite of the offseason additions and I think he's going to have a great year.
just bruised the tip on the bottom of my desk after reading this. if hes 100%, which by all accounts he is, then he is the most dangerous player in the NFL in open space. the guy has a chance to light it up on offense like we have never seen with this team. god i hope this all comes true
Imagine a set that starts with Ivory/CJ in the backfield, Hill wide left, Decker wide right, Kerley slot right. Motion CJ out to WR. Who does the defense cover? Do they stay close to home in the event it's a run? Do they double Decker? Do they leave Hill in single coverage risking the deep ball? I loved this signing the second we made it and I love what I'm hearing out of camp.
He's easily the best weapon we have added on offense in years. He will open up this offense big time especially under a real offensive coordinator.
100% with you on that. I hope it's sort of rarely used though so it's not too easy for them to predict but, yeah, the prospect of using a play like that in an important moment of an important game sounds pretty awesome.
The nice part is... who can predict where the ball is going out of that set? It's not like you only have one option in that formation. Geno HOPEFULLY reads what the defense shows him and finds the most open man. And there WILL be someone open in that set.
Agreed, just not really sure reading a defence is Geno's strength. But, still, someone will have to be open so even if he can't read the defence at the line all that well if it's sort just reading the play as it develops there has to be something...maybe not so much on the run side of things but you also have to factor in that Geno can run pretty well so even if he does keep the ball it doesn't preclude a run from taking place.
The scenario that makes me giggle a little is the one without Kerley in the game. You have Hill or Nelson wide left. You have Decker wide right. CJ and Ivory in the backfield. then CJ motions out left OR right. Who can cover him? There's no nickle back in the game because the Jets were in a G&P set. The LB's can stay with him for maybe 15 yards, maybe. The free safety has to be thinking that's the side of the field he's going to be on for the play because the LB is definitely going to need help over the top if CJ goes deep. The Jets still have Cumberland in the game in that situation also so just handing the ball to Ivory is going to be fun. It's like a series of cascading mismatches and all to the Jets favor. It's how they get Decker single coverage on his side when CJ goes the other way. It's looking like real fun no matter what happens.
Exciting times for this offense.. All the pieces to the puzzle are there sitting in the box.. Its up to Geno to put the pieces together.
The weapons are dangerous- now it's up to the protection, the playcalling and whoever is under center to pull it all together.
In this scenario, I think you'd have to have another DB in just in case, and hope he's a strong tackler. But it is intriguing.
It's hard to imagine any NFL defense putting in 5 DB's against 2 RB's and a TE. Maybe that's the way it goes but then you just hand the ball to CJ behind Ivory with Decker and Hill or Nelson blocking on the edges and man that is a rough play for the defense to manage with 5 defensive backs on the field.
