I'd love to see more traps and counters. Those are additional ways to make the defense pay for pinning their ears back and heading for the QB on passing downs.
Do we truly have the personnel to run this type of running game? Can it last over a course of a season? That's the true question. Hopefully Big Vlad can come in as an additional tackle and boost the run game.
This question basically revolves around LG and Shonn Greene. If LG is not strong then, no, we cannot be a power running team. If Shonn Greene cannot take the pounding over the course of the season then, no, we cannot be a power running team. Obviously there are slim possibilities to make this work outside of having a strong cohesive interior line and a bell cow back to carry the load but those are just slim possibilities.
Left Guard is key in a ground and pound offense. If Vlad can get his head in the game mentally our offensive line would be much better, and create more depth. To me, I'm banking on Joe McKnight having some sort of impact. We need more speed to our running game, if we can get McKnight out in open space we can generate some big runs - and that would open up the play-action much more. Giants won the SB with Jacobs, Bradshaw and Derrick Ward running the football. I hope Greene, McKnight and Powell can do work as well. Brandon Moore isn't really the best run blocker as well - amazing as pass-blocking though
My mental image of Joe McKnight is that he's throwing up somewhere. That's because of several widely reported incidents of him throwing up in different camps. If he's got Steamin' Willie Beamon in there somewhere he'd better bring it out quick because if he doesn't do something this year he's not going to be a Jet much longer and probably not in the NFL.
If you actually read the article instead of just the headline I think you'll find it interesting. Hearing about him fumble in the scrimmage was very discouraging news to me. He has a lot of talent but if he can't protect the rock you can't put him on the field. I wonder if he could end up a surprise cut? Maybe he's too good of a returner for that, but we all know Westhoff churns them out.
Lots of guys have real talent but can't play in the NFL because the mental aspect is just not there. At the moment McKnight looks like one of those guys.
If Holmes misses a game or 2 or isn't quite ready by Week 1 its not the end of the world. In 2009 we entered the season with Jericho Cotchery as our number 1 and then nobody after that. Chaz and Hill fit Sporano's offense better than Holmes unless he plays the slot. With Kerley in the slot and our 2 big WRs on the outside we will be ok. I'd like to see us play 2 TE sets more anyway with Keller and Cumberland. Losing Holmes isn't a good thing by any means but we can get by without him. I'm hoping he's ready by week 1 though and I think he should be.
What losing Holmes does is create an updraft on the Jet's skirt at just the wrong time. They have no WR's that are able to play at a high level at this point. Teams are going to do exactly what they did last year, stacking the box and shutting down the offense in the process. If Holmes goes out for the year with the rib issues at some point the Jets are probably going to have as bad an offense as they have had this decade. Right alongside the Brooks Bollinger disaster in 2005.
1. If Powell looks as good as advertised, I don't see why Jets cannot run 2-HB system with Greene and Powell. And Powell is very good at pass protection - giving him a very good chance to be a 3rd down back. 2. Vlad will see his playing time this year, I would think. 3. McKnight... not so much.
He brings out the Willie Beamon every now and then, not nearly as consistent though. McNabb is a big time puker also, and he ended up being prob the best QB the Eagles have ever had. Too bad he choked along with his puking. I'm rooting for McKnight to get the 3DB job, but the whole McKnight - Powell thing has gotten interesting, either McKnight has been sucking throughout camp or Powell is actually showing up ...
You think the guy who lead the NFL in kickoff return yards per return has a chance at being out of the NFL next year?
McNabb used to vomit at camp and before big games too. Sometimes people do that. You really think after last year (ST performance) McKnight won't have a job with the Jets or the other 31 teams in the NFL?
Better players than McKnight have been cut or can't find jobs so it's not a reach. I think we can use a 3 back set since all 3 backs bring something different to the table.
This switch to the gap running attack has me a bit concerned. It seems to me that this kind of scheme requires big, road grader types of offensive linemen, and I am not too sure that our O line guys fit this mode. They appear to me, to be more of a finesse group. Is Sporano trying to force a square peg into a round hole? I shudder to think that we spent most of training camp designing an offensive scheme that does not complement our personnel, and once the season starts must then, on the fly start over again. I hope I am wrong.
Sparano consistently talks about doing things that fit his players strengths so I doubt he's going to try and do the opposite. You never know though. The offense is a big mystery at this point so far as I'm concerned.
I was not happy to hear McKnight had 2 carries in the green/white scrimmage and fumbled on one of the carries. That is a huge issue with him.
