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Rex Ryan: N.Y. Jets’ running backs remind me of 2009


F.Chowds

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Rex Ryan has longed for his New York Jets to return to the form that netted consecutive AFC Championship Game berths in his first two seasons, and a feeling of nostalgia has engulfed the coach -- especially after the team signed Chris Johnson last week.

 

"We're excited to add Chris," Ryan told reporters Monday as the team commenced offseason workouts. "When you look at our stable of backs, it's pretty good. It kind of reminds me of my first year here."

 

The offensive success of Ryan's 2009 Jets was predicated on a punishing ground attack, with fullback Tony Richardson opening up holes for Thomas Jones, Shonn Greene andLeon Washington en route to a combined 2,273 rushing yards. A young Danny Woodhead even got to carry the rock 15 times during that campaign.

 

However, after a return trip to the conference title game in 2010, the Jets are just 22-26 over the past three seasons. During that span, Gang Green has rushed for over 2,000 yards as a team only once, with last year's tandem of Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell both failing to cross the 1,000-yard threshold individually.

 

Johnson's arrival is an immediate shot in the arm for New York's backfield; in addition to his 2,006-yard 2009 campaign, the speedster has never run for less than 1,000 yards in a season and remains the only player in NFL history with six touchdown runs of 80 yards or more.

 

What makes Johnson an even more valuable commodity to Ryan is his durability. CJ2K has completed a full 16-game slate in four of his last five campaigns and played the entire 2013 season despite a torn meniscus. Feeling rejuvenated after January knee surgery, he will serve as the lightning to the powerful Ivory's thunder. Though Rex revealed that Johnson wasn't promised "X amount of carries" and that "no role has been determined for anyone," it's safe to assume the Jets' new star will be the featured back.

 

Powell and Alex Green are slated to spell the Johnson-Ivory duo, with Mike Goodson unable to do anything "in the near future" as he continues to recover from knee surgery. Per the New York Daily News, Goodson could be the odd man out in what is shaping up to be a deep running back corps -- at least according to Rex.

 

"I feel kind of a buzz, just a little pep in everybody's step walking in," the coach said.

 

Whether or not there's enough juice in Florham Park to fuel another deep playoff run in 2014 remains to be seen.

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Ivory is better than Jones or Greene was, not sure what to make of Johnson yet, and Leon/Powell are on equal footing for different reasons (i.e. Leon's value as a special teamer vs Powell's ability to have a 20+ carry game a few times a year).

 

The problem with the comparison is that the line isn't anywhere near what it was in 2009, particularly on the right side which was where we generated most of our power running from with Woody and Moore, and Hunter (who was quite good as a backup) coming in as a a 6th guy that we used to slide around. The reasons we led the league in rushing that year were running it a gazillion times more than everyone else and that right side, not the RBs.

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Can't be said enough...that was such a good signing.

 

Agree with most everyone else that the OL talent just isn't up to par with '09 and that was the key to the rushing success.

 

You don't think it was Thomas Jones just mowing people over, breaking tackles left & right, or making them miss all over the place? 

 

I think if Winters doesn't show major improvement - not to mention Brick & Mangold becoming what they once were - it'll be hard to replicate finishing with the #1 rushing offense like '09, no matter who we picked up.

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You don't think it was Thomas Jones just mowing people over, breaking tackles left & right, or making them miss all over the place? 

 

I think if Winters doesn't show major improvement - not to mention Brick & Mangold becoming what they once were - it'll be hard to replicate finishing with the #1 rushing offense like '09, no matter who we picked up.

 

Although in truth, I don't think the Jets (or at least MM), are particularly interested in having the #1 rushing offense.  I think most would agree it would be far better for the team to simply have a quality rushing offense that compliments a successful passing game.  Now granted it would obviously help to have a dominant running game in case the passing game doesn't take a major step forward this year, but that's not necessarily the ideal scenario.  Not to mention, running games have a tendency to be helped out a bit (even if not in total carries and yards) when the passing game keeps the opposing D from being able to crowd the line play after play.

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Although in truth, I don't think the Jets (or at least MM), are particularly interested in having the #1 rushing offense.  I think most would agree it would be far better for the team to simply have a quality rushing offense that compliments a successful passing game.  Now granted it would obviously help to have a dominant running game in case the passing game doesn't take a major step forward this year, but that's not necessarily the ideal scenario.  Not to mention, running games have a tendency to be helped out a bit (even if not in total carries and yards) when the passing game keeps the opposing D from being able to crowd the line play after play.

 

Blow me.

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You don't think it was Thomas Jones just mowing people over, breaking tackles left & right, or making them miss all over the place? 

 

I think if Winters doesn't show major improvement - not to mention Brick & Mangold becoming what they once were - it'll be hard to replicate finishing with the #1 rushing offense like '09, no matter who we picked up.

 

Dont sleep on Eric Decker's downfield blocking.  They were 6th overall in rushing last season.  He's good enough to get them 1 spot higher.  Assuming Geno and Winters improve....its not that hard to replicate.

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Dont sleep on Eric Decker's downfield blocking.  They were 6th overall in rushing last season.  He's good enough to get them 1 spot higher.  Assuming Geno and Winters improve....its not that hard to replicate.

 

Yeah, pencil me in now for going to sleep on Eric Decker's downfield blocking. 

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What made that running game punishing was WOODY, RICHARDSON and HARTSOCK and a very fresh Shonn Greene in the 09 playoffs. The running backs ? not so much

 

Now that we have a new RT who is one tough SOB it would be nice if we could sign a FB the caliber of Tony Richardson but I think that's a dying breed in todays NFL I think Hartsock is available via FA so yes I would grab him in a second since he would be cheap as hell and valuable in the running game Rex wants to see revived

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Dont sleep on Eric Decker's downfield blocking.  They were 6th overall in rushing last season.  He's good enough to get them 1 spot higher.  Assuming Geno and Winters improve....its not that hard to replicate.

Not so much downfield blocking its blocking on sweeps and runs off tackle and at the LOS or 5 yards off and both Decker and Hill can be above average blockers and the difference between a 5 yard run or a 10 - 15 yard run. Its amazing how some posters poke fun at WR blocking on a predominantly running football team. Not saying that's what your doing here but Ive seen enough of it to know those who poke fun don't really know much of what they are talking about

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Although in truth, I don't think the Jets (or at least MM), are particularly interested in having the #1 rushing offense.  I think most would agree it would be far better for the team to simply have a quality rushing offense that compliments a successful passing game.  Now granted it would obviously help to have a dominant running game in case the passing game doesn't take a major step forward this year, but that's not necessarily the ideal scenario.  Not to mention, running games have a tendency to be helped out a bit (even if not in total carries and yards) when the passing game keeps the opposing D from being able to crowd the line play after play.

Seattle Seahawks

 

Have a dominant Running game and a passing game that can step up when needed = wins and also = keeping the ball out of the hands of high powered offenses. Run it down their throats wear out the defense and you would be surprised at how much you can accomplish in the passing game in the 4th Quarter. A great defense to complement that is the SB formula.... offenses like Denver that beat up on most of the ordinary defenses in the league have a much different time of it in the playoffs when they get smacked in the mouth.

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