DMN: Rick Gosselin: Jets will seek to establish running game
Cowboys running back Julius Jones will be spending Thanksgiving with his older brother Thomas. But the Dallas defenders will be spending more time with Thomas on Thursday evening than Julius will.
The Jets acquired Thomas Jones because they wanted to run the football. The Jets haven't been able to run the ball since 2004, when Curtis Martin won the NFL rushing title with 1,697 yards. But a knee injury ended his career, leaving the Jets punchless on the ground these last two seasons.
Jones rushed for 1,210 yards for the NFC champion Chicago Bears in 2006, and the Jets envisioned that type of productivity in their offense. But Jones has struggled in his first season in New York, and so have the Jets.
With the season spiraling out of control at 1-7, the Jets benched quarterback Chad Pennington in favor of Kellen Clemens. Now the Jets need to run the football to protect an inexperienced young play-caller.
The Jets executed a game plan against AFC North-leading Pittsburgh last weekend that they hope to execute against the Cowboys.
New York kept Pittsburgh's ferocious pass rush off Clemens by handing the ball off a season-high 30 times to Jones. He rushed for 117 yards as the Jets snapped a six-game losing streak with a stunning 19-16 overtime victory over the Steelers.
Jones has carried the ball more than 20 times in four games this season and he's hit 100 yards in rushing in two of them, including both victories.
If Jones struggles against the Dallas 3-4 with his straight-ahead style, the Jets will switch to a smaller, shiftier, quicker Leon Washington.
The Cowboys' 24th-ranked pass defense would look inviting to most opponents. But with a quarterback making his third career starter, the run gives the Jets their best chance for an upset.
The Jets acquired Thomas Jones because they wanted to run the football. The Jets haven't been able to run the ball since 2004, when Curtis Martin won the NFL rushing title with 1,697 yards. But a knee injury ended his career, leaving the Jets punchless on the ground these last two seasons.
Jones rushed for 1,210 yards for the NFC champion Chicago Bears in 2006, and the Jets envisioned that type of productivity in their offense. But Jones has struggled in his first season in New York, and so have the Jets.
With the season spiraling out of control at 1-7, the Jets benched quarterback Chad Pennington in favor of Kellen Clemens. Now the Jets need to run the football to protect an inexperienced young play-caller.
The Jets executed a game plan against AFC North-leading Pittsburgh last weekend that they hope to execute against the Cowboys.
New York kept Pittsburgh's ferocious pass rush off Clemens by handing the ball off a season-high 30 times to Jones. He rushed for 117 yards as the Jets snapped a six-game losing streak with a stunning 19-16 overtime victory over the Steelers.
Jones has carried the ball more than 20 times in four games this season and he's hit 100 yards in rushing in two of them, including both victories.
If Jones struggles against the Dallas 3-4 with his straight-ahead style, the Jets will switch to a smaller, shiftier, quicker Leon Washington.
The Cowboys' 24th-ranked pass defense would look inviting to most opponents. But with a quarterback making his third career starter, the run gives the Jets their best chance for an upset.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:30 PM
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