No Powell, No McKnight, No Problems? Jets Backfield Can Still Come Up Big Against the Pats

Added by Justin O'Connell on October 19, 2012.

Shonn Greene and the Jets hope to carry over momentum from last weeks rushing attack. Photo: Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

The New York Jets run game has been looking a little green this season, averaging only 111.2 yards per game. That average is only that high due to a running explosion in last week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Gang Green will be relying on (Shonn) Greene this weekend. Bilial Powell is doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Jets’ rivals, the Patriots, and Joe McKnight is suffering from an ankle sprain and also is doubtful. Jonathan Grimes, who was acquired less than a month ago, will most likely be the third down back if McKnight and Powell cannot play.

Greene is coming off his best game and his first 100+ yard rushing game of the season. Greene and the Jets will need the momentum from last week to carry over to Sunday.

“We just have to stay with it and continue even though sometimes it’s not going to be good.  We just have to keep consistent with it and we’ll be alright,” said Greene on using the momentum from last week’s game.

Running the ball will be essential for the Jets to win on Sunday. As obvious as that sounds, it will be more true than ever this week because without it the Jets will get blown out of the stadium and fall under .500 yet again. Mark Sanchez cannot be counted on to match Tom Brady throw for throw as he did in the divisional round of the playoffs a couple years ago.

The X-factor will be how much time Tim Tebow is on the field and will he actually play running back. Tebow has stated over and over that he will do whatever the team needs of him and head coach Rex Ryan loves to talk about how he is a “football player”. The Jets have been scheming all week on how to use Tebow in the run game against the Patriots.

“That’s a possibility. The thing about Tim, with him being a football player like we’ve always talked about, by playing quarterback, he knows all the positions. Can you plug him in at running back? Can you plug him in at tight end? I think the answer is yes,” said Ryan on Tebow playing running back.

Whether Tebow is running the option with Greene, or whoever the Jets can throw out there, or playing half back, his talents will be vital for the teams’ success. This is why they traded for him and this will be the most important game of his Jets career. Expect Tebow to have more playing time and take advantage of it. Greene and Tebow will have to carry the run game and eat up as much clock as possible to keep Brady off the field. The two also have to finish in the red zone, if the Jets only score field goals than they did not do their job.

The Jets offensive line played their best game of the season last week, so they too will need to carry the momentum over in order to help Greene out. They were able to open gaping holes last week and Greene took advantage of them. Nick Mangold and company are confident they can keep it going and become one of the better offensive lines in the league.

“Every week we hope to run the ball very well, and this week would be no different.  We’re sticking to our fundamentals, its stuff that we’ve been working on. Hopefully it carries through, and we have some success with it… No, it’s another step in the process.  I think that we made good strides, but nothing is ever completely fixed. There’s always something to tinker.  So we’ve been continuing to do that and continuing to try to focus and get better,” said Mangold.