LaDainian Tomlinson is likely to start at running back for the Jets Sunday. This feels somewhat ceremonial as Rex Ryan tends to like to give players more action against their former team. Rex likes to tap on the extra motivational edge a guy facing his old teammates gets.
There might be something bigger at play, though. LT started getting more carries in the second half of the Miami game than he had all year long. He ended the night with 7. There had been other games where he got 6, but this felt different. He was either a sub earlier in the year or getting his touches to try and catch the defense off guard in a passing formation. Monday it looked like he was getting carries at Greene's expense for the first time all year. It is possible the Jets wanted to rest Greene in a game the team led, but is it possible there is more to this? Is it possible Greene's slow start has changed the depth chart?
One of my biggest concerns entering the season was the potential for the coaching staff to fall in love with using Tomlinson. This happened last season as the aging back got overworked and faded down the stretch. The coaches rode him too hard after his fast start.
If the Jets are looking to give somebody new a shot, Joe McKnight is sitting on the sidelines getting few touches on offense. He also happens to be the most explosive player on the roster. Perhaps this is just a case where Tomlinson is getting extra work in a blowout and against his old team. If the coaches want to feature Greene less, they should look to McKnight and keep Tomlinson fresh to maximize his effectiveness.