Jets know their running game must improve

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rex Ryan watched Mark Sanchez change things up at the line of scrimmage Sunday against the Cowboys, calling an audible to switch from a running play to a pass as they were trying to set up the game-winning score.

The Jets were facing a third-and-8 at Dallas' 32-yard line and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer sent in a running play, figuring the prudent move was to stay on the ground and get some more yardage to make it a bit easier on kicker Nick Folk. Instead, Sanchez thought he saw one-on-one coverage on the outside with Plaxico Burress and tried to get the ball to his 6-5 wide receiver.

"Right when he drops back," Ryan said Thursday, "after you get over the fact of, 'What are we doing?' then you are like, 'Catch it! Catch it!' One of those deals."

Mike Jenkins stepped in front of Burress' comeback route, nearly picking off the pass. Folk drilled a 50-yard field goal on the next play, lifting the Jets to the win.

That sequence provided a small snapshot into the current state of the Jets' rushing attack, the very thing that's supposed to be a strength and staple of the offense. The Jets' run game, which didn't look great in preseason either, sputtered badly like an old jalopy against the Cowboys. They ran the ball just 16 times for 45 yards, averaging a meager 2.8 yards per carry, and didn't seem to have any confidence in their "ground and pound" approach, particularly late.

Shonn Greene was a non-factor, managing 10 carries for 26 yards. LaDainian Tomlinson, who totaled 16 yards on five attempts, had the Jets' longest rush, which was 7 yards.

Only two teams ran for less yardage than the Jets in Week 1 -- Tennessee and Denver. They had 43 and 38 yards, respectively.

"We're working on it," Tomlinson said. "We're getting better, but we're still going to be able to run the football. I don't think that's going to be a problem for us.

"Any week could be a breakout week for us running the football," he added. "We've always been able to rely on it. We expect to be able to run the ball whenever we need to."

That's something the Jets know they'll have to do in order to help keep Sanchez upright. He was sacked four times and took six additional hits. He tied his career high for attempts with 44, a number nearly three times the occasions they ran the ball.

"We feel like the running game will come," Schottenheimer said. "We have a great offensive line. That hasn't changed. If there's a group you know has pride, it's that group with how well they've all played. But the running game is something that comes through time. It comes through work."

That's essentially the way fullback John Conner feels.

"It just one of those things that takes time," he said. "Obviously, in the preseason we had good spurts of our running game and what we can be. It's our identity, so that's just one of the things we've got to continue to work on and get better in practice."

Said Ryan: "We know we can run the football and we need to stay with it. I think this week is going to be a great challenge for us obviously. These guys gear themselves to stop the run, so we'll see what happens."