Shonn Greene's Light Work Load Early Might Help the New York Jets Late

I probably would have called you crazy had you told me LaDainian Tomlinson would have 92 carries at this point, and Shonn Greene only had 71. The biggest factor in this disparity is likely LT's stunning resurgence. Greene is averaging an excellent 4.5 yards per carry. He's playing pretty well. Tomlinson is just playing like he's in his prime.

This is the kind of thing that could pay dividends late in the season. After a series of nagging injuries during his rookie year, a lot of fans had concerns over whether Greene could hold up as the top back. I think these worries might have been a bit overblown, but there is some merit. Shonn does have a bruising style of running where he seeks contact. Even if there was not a serious injury, the hits pile up over the course of a season and can wear a back down.

One of the underrated effects of LT's play is that it has allowed Brian Schottenheimer to limit Greene's touches in the early part of the year. This will keep him fresher than he otherwise might be down the stretch and allow him to avoid bumps and bruises that could slow him down. Shonn had similarly limited touches early in 2009, which allowed him to attack defenses with a vengeance in the Playoffs.

If Greene goes crazy late in the year, LaDainian Tomlinson might be as much to thank as anybody.