In an interview on newyorkjets.com. I don't feel like making a link, go find it yourself. I don't want to put words in anybody's mouth, but the sense I got from what Schottenheimer had to say about the move was, if LT has another 1500 yard season in his legs, Greene isn't going to keep him on the bench. The best player will play, and the other backs will probably play a heck of a lot too. Schottenheimer, at least, doesn't seem ready to follow the conventional wisdom and label LT a backup. I'm probably in the minority on this, but I think I have more faith in LT to be the engine of this offense next year than I have in Greene. Greene had more stupid fumbles than hundred yard games last year, even more injuries, and in general didn't play a whole lot of football. I like his potential, but he's hardly put up the sort of body of work that warrants being handed a starting job. What the Jets do with their three talented halfbacks is one of the more interesting stories of the offseason, right up there with Rex's diet and Sanchez's moustache.
i'm willing to bet that at the end of the year it will be hard to find who the true starting back was. i bet greene and LT are pretty even in carries with leon also getting his fair share.
I expect Greene to continue to be a dominant runner and assume the bulk of the carries but if LT is producing then all the power to him. Whoever plays well should get the carries, I will never have a problem with production.
"backup", "starter"., I dont think it really matters to the Jets when running backs are concerned. We have a QB in his second year and a run blocking OLine ranked top in the league. They are all going to get their fair share of carries depending on situation and opponents.
It could be that we may witness the most prolific running attack in NFL history. Giving this OL a guy like LT, and keeping TR on board... You are going to see some big fat guys making huge holes out there.
In the regular season he did One 100+ yard game against the raiders 2 TD's against The Raiders and 3 fumbles
1. Shonn Greene 2. Ladanian Tomlinson 3. Leon Washington. As of right now, that is LT's role in this offense. He's a good blocking/receiving option out of the backfield and nothing more. I think most Jets fans will attack him for a small amount of production but I think that Schottenheimer will use him to his strengths. Tomlinson will be our version of Kevin Faulk. A tough option on 3rd down who will give us some tough yards.
http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/multimedia/video/2119-schottenheimer-interview-part-i-oc-talks-lt Posting links is hard.
Everyone harps on Greene's fumbilitis- but I seem to remember it as being a problem early on, and as we hit mid-late season the problem had pretty much resolved itself. Am I off on this one?
I'm a firm believer in the fact that LT's carries must be limited this season...for him to be effective. If the Jets end up making LT shoulder the load this season (barring any injuries of course)....we'll be seeing the LT from last season.....behind our oline or not. I supported the LT move...because my assumption is that he'll be the 3rd down back and come in on passing situations. Anything over and above....concerns the shit out of me.
No one should be concerned over the load LT carries. He will be used only as much as he's successful (FTR, I expect LT to reach 800+ yards-and I'm just shy of predicting 1k.) This isn't really rocket science. People knock Schotty a lot for making crazy calls, but this is a no-brainer. If LT has 75 yards midway through the second quarter, are you really going to take the ball out of his hands in the second half because you fear he's too old or something like that? This line has a completely different focus from the one he played behind last year. He deserves a shot to get even carries with Green unless he proves he can't carry the load. I believe he can. I also fully expect Leon Washington to be wearing a different uniform by May.
No...but my expectation is to have healthy running backs come playoff time. I remember early in the season, people were clamoring for S.Greene. Why isn't he getting carries? Let's see what he can do...yada yada yada Well, the Jets preserved Greene's legs early in the season (plus he was further down the depth chart, I understand that) and were rewarded with his production in the playoffs. If Schotty can contain his hard-on for LT....and balance the carries for all 3 HBs throughout the season....I think that's where we'll see the most value. If Schotty starts giving LT 25-30 carries a game....he'll be toast for the playoffs, IMO.
wow so now Greene is a liability? first off, Greene's fumbles came from his running style. 1 of his fumbles he just lowered his shoulder and barreled through people with his head down. someone made a good play and popped it out. the other two if i remember correctly, came when he had busted through the second level and broke away, bout 20 yards later a DB would catch him from behind, and he would be unaware of the defender playing catch up, and it was swatted as he brought the ball back in his running stride that it was knocked out. the more he got the ball on a consistent basis the less this happened. theres a reason theyre still talking about Greene's good but not great combine, THIS year. we stole a back in the 3rd round who paid dividends immediately. as far as the offense goes, the Jets philosophy is, "play the hot hand". Soon as Jones appeared to be chipping away at nothing, they started letting Greene shoulder some of the load after coming back. a couple fumbles had him seeing less carries for a couple games, but the guy just makes big plays. earns more time and steals Jones thunder come DEC. I find it hard to believe LT has more carries than Greene this year. but if LT goes on a tear with something to the tune of 60-75 yards in a first half the Jets will as I've said, "play the hot hand" LT was brought here to take some carries away from Greene with Leon's uncertainty and be a utility back catching passes out of the backfield for Sanchez. If he happens to break off the occasional 100 yd game thats just gravy to me. I dont expect to see a resurrected LT, but I'm thinking a new start and an upgraded line will have him proving we made the right move in bringing him here.
