Jets’ porous D continues to get the runaround
NEW YORK » The inability to stop the run has been the running theme for the Jets’ defense this season.
Teams know they can use their ground game effectively against them, so they pound the football over and over — daring the Jets to stop them.
So when Duke Johnson — Miami’s fourth-string running back — gouged New York for a careerhigh 107 yards and two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ 31-24 victory Sunday, it was just another embarrassing performance to add to the growing list for the 3-11 Jets.
“We just can’t allow that leaky yardage,” defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said Monday. “Also, there were not enough negative (yardage) plays. We’ve got to be able to keep teams in behindthe-sticks situations, create some negative tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
“When you’re unable to do that throughout the course of the game and you allow teams to constantly gain yards, they’re eventually going to pop one.”
Such as the 30-yard run by
Myles Gaskin that helped set up the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
“They were able to get into a rhythm with their run game,” Rankins said, “and we’ve just got to be better collectively overall in a few areas.”
The Dolphins finished with 183 yards rushing against the Jets, who allowed 203 yards rushing to New Orleans in their previous game and 185 to a banged-up Philadelphia squad before that.
The inability to stop the run — New York’s defense entered the weekend ranked 29th in the NFL — has allowed opponents to sustain long drives. It has also stifled the offense, which was knocked out of rhythm in the second half after a hot start.
Next up is Jacksonville, which is 2-12 but has a solid running game led by James Robinson. And there’s no doubt how the Jaguars and rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence will try to attack the Jets’ defense Sunday.
“He’s going to try to use this as a chance for himself to get better,” Saleh said of the No. 1 pick in April. “They’ve got a really good run game and I’m sure they’re champing at the bit to come run the football.”