GROUND STOP
Jets vow return to power running style that led them to back-to-back AFC title games
Manish Mehta,
THE JETS HAVE VOWED to return to the power running style that helped them get to consecutive AFC Championship Games in recent years. So the sight of getting stuffed on three short-yardage situations in their 26-3 loss to the Giants on Saturday night gave Rex Ryan pause for concern.
For all the attention on Gang Green’s leaky pass protection — Mark Sanchez was sacked three times in the first half — Ryan clearly wasn’t happy with his team’s inability to get the tough yards on the ground.
Fullback John Conner was stopped on two different drives on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1, a troubling early sign for a team with a ground-and-pound mantra. Conner was stuffed for no gain on thirdand-1 on the opening drive. In the second quarter, Shonn Greene was stopped at the line of scrimmage on third-and-1 before Conner got the ball on fourth down. He was again blasted for no gain. “Yeah, it was brutal. Absolutely bad,” Ryan said. “I might’ve been more disappointed in those things than I was anything else.”
Despite having three Pro Bowlers, there were plenty of questions surrounding a line that looked pedestrian at times in run blocking and pass protection last season. The power running game is supposed to be the staple of new coordinator Tony Sparano’s system.
“Obviously that’s an area where we pride ourselves in, but we don’t game plan against these teams,” left guard Matt Slauson said. “So they were throwing out some stuff that we hadn’t seen so far against some our new short-yardage runs.”
When Week 1 rolls around, Slauson maintained, Sparano will purge some plays that haven’t been particularly successful in the preseason and highlight others that have had good early returns.
Despite the Jets’ short-yardage struggles on Saturday, Greene had five carries of five or more yards in the first half. Sparano remains committed to the run, which was lacking at times under Brian Schottenheimer last season. Although Greene only averaged 3.3 yards per carry (36 yards on 11 carries), Sparano made it a point to never deviate from the ground attack, with 13 runs versus 14 pass plays in the first half.
“That’s what kind of team we are going to be throughout the season,” Greene said about the commitment to the run. “I’m pretty confident about that.”
The Jets, playing without their top weapon in Santonio Holmes, have yet to score a touchdown in two preseason games. The first-team offense hasn’t scored a point in eight drives. The longest play generated by Mark Sanchez & Co. has been 12 yards.
“There’s no magic plays,” Ryan said. “I know how hard we work and I know how dedicated this team is to improving. And again, that’s what I’m betting on and that’s what I believe will happen.”
Sanchez, who’s been sacked five times in the first two preseason games and threw a pick-six on Saturday, has maintained a positive outlook despite his unit’s early struggles. The starters will get their final action of the preseason against the Panthers in the third preseason game on Sunday night before the opener at home against the Bills on Sept. 9.
“We need to put our best foot forward in this last dress rehearsal for Buffalo,” Sanchez said. “I’m confident with a week of prep, our guys will be ready.”