Can the Jets Stuff the Inside Run?

by John B on Oct 8, 2010 7:00 AM EDT

The Vikings have one of the top two running backs in the league, Adrian Peterson. They have a soon to be 41 year old quarterback with a 2 to 6 touchdown to interception ratio this year. We have spent a lot of time discussing the Jets facing Minnesota's passing game. It is time to focus a bit on what the Vikings do best, though, run the ball. Peterson has 392 yards in 3 games and a 5.6 average per carry.

Our friends at Football Outsiders tell us Minnesota runs it up the middle on just a shade under half of its rushes. That means the center-nose tackle matchup will be critical. The Outsiders say the blocking the team does creates 4.65 yards per carry, in the NFL's top ten.

The Jets are only giving up 3.2 yards per carry. That is in no small measure due to the job Sione Pouha is doing on the nose. Pouha is consistently controlling the point of attack. His opponent, John Sullivan, is nursing a calf injury. He missed much of the Week 3 contest with Detroit and has either missed or been limited at practice this week. If Sullivan does not play, Ryan Cook will start. Either that or Sullivan playing hurt would be an edge for Pouha and the Jets. Sione would have a great chance at drawing consistent doubles to keep Bart Scott and David Harris clean. That's a tough task for a run game.

It would not guarantee success because Peterson is as good as anybody at making something out of nothing (a topic for a different post), but it would make success a lot more probable.

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Just as important can the Jets run inside against the Williams Brothers

by JetOrange on Oct 8, 2010 7:14 AM EDT reply actions

It's not just as important.

Our pass offense is clicking. Like I said earlier, don’t abandon the run, but don’t force it either when stopping the run is far and away the best part of their football team and Sanchez is rolling right now. I would air it out on Monday night.

by dookiehead on Oct 8, 2010 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Blitz the A-gaps

Get Peterson going east-west and swarm to the ball. Cannot let him consistently get to the second level, he’s just treacherous when he gets rolling.

Ancilliary benefit would be that, if they pass, it would bring pressure directly to Favre’s face and would force Peterson to stay in for protection. And nobody shoots the gaps like Dave and Bart.

by Crackback on Oct 8, 2010 7:22 AM EDT reply actions

I like the way you think

by JetOrange on Oct 8, 2010 8:18 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't know, man.

I think that this is like the Michael Jordan strategy— he’s going to get his yards no matter what, we should worry more about smacking Favre, shutting down Randy (and Shinicoe or whatever his name is) and containing everyone else.

If you spend a lot of time game planning to stop AP and then he does one of those off balance freak pirouettes and runs for 50+ yards, it can be real discouraging.

by Gideon Jay on Oct 8, 2010 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Its about time someone focused on the Run

I have been thinking since this matchup was announced was how Adrian Peterson figures into the gameplan…EVERYONE has been talking about Favre and Moss, which I understand, but Favre has been struggling and the Jets have handled Moss (1 Touchdown I know) but I hope that this week theyre stressing FINISHING TACKLES on AP. WE will get in favres’ face But AP has this ability of Sliping out of tackles, I hope he doesnt Barrel over anybody on Def…(Dont Need to see those types of highlights on Sportscenter all week) But as long as were physical and put a hurting on him early I think we can disrupt the flow of the Viking Passing and Running games early!!!

by GangGreenMachine on Oct 8, 2010 10:30 AM EDT reply actions

At the end of the day....

It’s all about the run game. Whoever gets it going will win this game.
Favre is going to get hit. And that deep ball that they keep talking about over at the Daily Norseman is not going to be there as often as they think. To tell you the truth, I don’t think they even watched a game on the Jets except for highlights. It’s very telling of how they view Holmes coming back (they swear he has to catch up in the playbook, chemistry, etc. as if he’s in the same boat as Moss), how they view our O-line (worse than last year because we let go of Faneca), and LT and SG (They are okay, but they are no TJ). It’s like they forgot that the preseason is officially over and we actually have some serious stats to go by now… not just speculation.

I like this game in our favor, though they have some serious weapons, I don’t see Favre getting out of that slump anytime soon… at least not in this game.

GANG GREEN ALL DAY!
I put God first! Anything else comes a distant second, next to a cross-country third.
Being that I'm Nigerian, being a Jets' Fan only comes natural... it's all about that old Green and White.
You see, it's not about how you won the game, it's about how you played the game.... there's a difference. If you don't understand this, then you're losing big time.

by King A! on Oct 8, 2010 10:44 AM EDT reply actions

our front 3 or 4

only needs to control the offensive line. Our middle linebackers and bryan thomas have to keep rotating and focus on just the running game . our outside guys worry about the pass and the cross in the middles. if you just focus on hitting AP and not try to get him to fumble then he wont break it…. All of his long runs this season have come on weak hits put on him because they are going for the ball before anything….

by lnford4 on Oct 8, 2010 10:47 AM EDT reply actions

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^100000000000000

by realsouthace on Oct 8, 2010 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

i honestly dont see what the prob is, brett will not have time to throw the long ball with pace and jt in his face, and ap i wouldnt worry about, ya he s good against some teams but remember he has to go up against the #1 defense who play violent

by realsouthace on Oct 8, 2010 12:16 PM EDT reply actions

No question at all

if we stop the run and passing to backs, and put at least moderate pressure on Favre, we will win this game.

Last year we couldn’t stop some things we saw coming. If we have truly improved, we will stop AP and Favre will follow.

by Bro Namath on Oct 8, 2010 6:44 PM EDT reply actions

Our friends at Football Outsiders tell us Minnesota runs it up the middle on just a shade under half of its rushes. That means the center-nose tackle matchup will be critical.

Thus far Jet opponents have run the ball 53% of the time Md/Guard against them, so there is no change there.

The Outsiders say the blocking the team does creates 4.65 yards per carry, in the NFL’s top ten.

And the Jets DL gives up 3.35, ranked 7th, so it is strength against strength somewhat. The Jets also lead the league in “2nd level yards” (5-10 yard zone) and are 2nd in the league in “Open Field” yards, while Minnesota is 4th and 4th respectively.

"Sometimes it's the people. Any player can play defense, but not every player will play defense. Sometimes it's a lack of perseverance." - A. Johnson

by kv on Oct 9, 2010 1:33 PM EDT reply actions