Hutchinson on the Jets: Team ready for Oakland's McFadden by Dave Hutchinson/The Star-Ledger Friday October 17, 2008, 12:21 AM Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images Oakland's Darren McFadden has rushed for a team-high 302 yards.Star-Ledger Jets beat writer Dave Hutchinson updates us on the Jets' preparations for the upcoming meeting with the Oakland Raiders: RAIDERS READY TO LET McFADDEN LOOSE The Jets will get Raiders rookie RB Darren McFadden unplugged on Sunday. He's healthy. He's hungry. And, as always, he's hard to tackle. McFadden, drafted fourth overall, has been nursing a turf toe injury since being hurt late in a Week 2 game against the Chiefs in which he rushed for 164 yards and a TD on 21 carries in a 23-8 victory. This week, McFadden, who almost ended up a Jet, is practicing without restrictions for the first time since the injury and figures to have an expanded role against the Jets on Sunday. That role could include the "wildcat" formation, the NFL's newest fad where a running back lines up at quarterback. "I know they're going to come in and have some more plays for me," said McFadden, who has lined up all over the field. "I like going out there and getting the ball in my hands. ... I love (the wildcat)." McFadden, who has rushed for a team-high 302 yards on 59 carries with a 5.1-yard average, has run some plays out of the wildcat formation this season. At Arkansas, he ran it extensively and threw seven career touchdown passes. "They use (McFadden) in different packages," Jets linebacker Bryan Thomas said. "I've seen him at quarterback ... on toss sweeps ... plays where he runs up the middle and bounces outside. He's a guy who can take over the game." Said Jets LB Calvin Pace: "I give the guy a lot of credit because you don't see a lot of rookies doing what he's doing." McFadden is part of a three-back rotation in Oakland that includes Michael Bush and Justin Fargas. "They keep (McFadden) fresh," said Pace. SECONDARY BLUES While the Jets are tied for second in the NFL in sacks (18) and rank third in run defense (69 yards per game), they're pulling up the rear in pass defense, ranking 28th and allowing 237.6 yards per game. And S Kerry Rhodes, touted as a possible Pro Bowler entering the season, has no interceptions and no sacks. "It (the ranking) is skewed a little bit because we're stopping the run at such a good clip and teams are passing," Rhodes said. "We (the secondary) had a good game against some good receivers last week (the Bengals were without QB Carson Palmer). We're not that bad. We're playing pretty good right now, actually." Said coach Eric Mangini: "I like the fact that we have been able to pressure the quarterback and you don't pressure the quarterback unless the receivers are covered." Rhodes, who had nine interceptions over the past two seasons, says he has no picks so far this season because teams aren't challenging him and are simply throwing underneath. MILLER TIME CB Justin Miller, who dislocated a toe in the preseason and suffered another undisclosed setback, has been cleared medically. But Thursday, coach Eric Mangini refused to say whether he would be activated against the Raiders, even though rookie Dwight Lowery is struggling after a fast start. Miller, a former Pro Bowl kick returner, was starting at right cornerback before he was injured, and players usually don't lose their job to injury. "I have no control over that," Miller said. "All I can do is go out there and play. Do what they ask me to do." QUICK HITS QB Brett Favre owns the Raiders. He's 4-0 and has completed 79 of 128 passes (61.7 percent) for 1,188 yards, 11 TDs and four INTs. Coach Mangini praised defensive line coach Dan Quinn, whom many players have credited for the Jets' stunning sack numbers, saying he has the makings of a future defensive coordinator. KR Leon Washington leads the NFL with a 31.5-yard average on 10 kickoff returns. Favre is an equal-opportunity distributor as five players have double-digit receptions. Mangini said that forces defenses to cover the entire field. INJURIES K Mike Nugent (thigh) and WR David Clowney (collarbone) are out. Raiders DE Derrick Burgess (triceps) didn't practice and isn't expected to play.
Clowney at best, is a #5 receiver on this team. How many touches does the # 4, Brad Smith, get per game? Not much, so even if he's dressed, he only gets on the field when we go 4 or 5 wide. That's not to say he does not have a bright future.
Well, we don't know that for sure until he gets more passes thrown his way. It's far too easy to underrate a player because the ball isn't distributed his way. I saw some good stuff from Clowney in the preseason.
Hutch is pretty good but I have to disagree with his assessment of Lowery "struggling". ^^Regarding Quinn, yes, very interesting and the first I've heard him portrayed like this. Let's see if this snowballs at all.
Sucks clowney wont be out there. As for McFadden his toe is supposedly fine now. Him and Fargas and Bush could be a problem but with Kris Jenkins in the Middle we should be good.
I dont see McFadden being a big problem he had one good game this year and the rest were bad, I would know hes on my fantasy team lol
even on limited action its easy to see that clowney is already better than brad smith as a wr. smith gets his touches on gadget plays. clowney is a legitmate wr. they must plan on using clowney in some way or they would have put him on ir after the shoulder injury.
"The Jets will get Raiders rookie RB Darren McFadden unplugged on Sunday. He's healthy. He's hungry. And, as always, he's hard to tackle." Vilma had a huge hit on him in the game preview video at NFL.com.
DMC hasn't played a run defense like ours all year. Hes been injured and he had a good game against the "Chiefs". Fuck this guy....He will be shut down tomorrow
I Don't think its fair to suggest that Rhodes is having a poor season at this point. Our coverage could be better but I haven't seen him really get beaten. He's a ball hawk so I can see him getting a few INT's if offences start trying to take us on via the deep ball.
