Jets must re-establish running game after struggling with it against the Bears
Bears linebacker Leonard Floyd tackles Jets running back Isaiah Crowell during the first half of a game Sunday in Chicago. Credit: AP/David Banks
The Jets need to find a new offensive identity.
They wanted to be known as a team that runs the football well, but they don’t. At least they haven’t since they racked up 323 rushing yards in Week 5 against Denver. The Jets have run for a total of 235 yards in the last three games.
“They beat us up front,” Todd Bowles said Monday, a day after a 24-10 loss to the Bears in Chicago. “They beat us to the punch. I thought we missed some assignments that we got to correct. We got to keep grinding at it. We can’t be up and down. We got to be consistent at it. If we want to throw the ball consistently, we got to be able to run it consistently.”
The Jets were without center Spencer Long (knee/finger) and running back Bilal Powell, whose season ended in last week’s loss to the Vikings because of a neck injury. But Isaiah Crowell is the Jets’ leading rusher, and he set a franchise record when he ran for 219 yards against the Broncos. He had 25 on 13 carries Sunday.
The Jets totaled 57 yards — their 2.4-yard average was their second-lowest of the season — against a Bears team that was without Khalil Mack.
Without Powell, the Jets will rely on Crowell and rookie Trenton Cannon. Elijah McGuire, who eligible to return from IR this week, is another option.
They could sign or trade for a running back before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.
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Marcus Maye played every defensive snap Sunday despite a broken right thumb and understandably was sore Monday. The second-year safety, who missed only one game because of the thumb injury, had it wrapped and made a team-high seven solo tackles . . . NT Steve McLendon left the game with an ankle injury. Bowles said McLendon was undergoing tests Monday . . . TE Neal Sterling is in concussion protocol . . . WR Terrelle Pryor, whom the Jets waived 10 days ago because he has a groin injury, reportedly has met with the Bills. Bowles left open the possibility of re-signing Pryor when he’s healthy.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
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