Jets need to run so Zach Wilson isn't always on the run

The Jets’ pass protection isn’t the only thing under construction. Their run game needs some repairing, too.

The system first-time offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur brought to the Jets is predicated on the run. But almost every time the Jets ran the ball in their opening week loss to the Panthers all lanes were closed.

The Jets rushed 17 times for 45 yards. Twenty-eight different players ran for more yards than the Jets on Sunday. Their 2.6 yards per carry were the lowest in the NFL in Week 1.

"I’m not going to say [it’s] alarming," Jets coach Robert Saleh said. "It’s disappointing because we expect to come out and run the ball."

LaFleur said he would use a running-back-by-committee approach and roll with the hot hand. Tevin Coleman, Ty Johnson and Michael Carter never got warm. Johnson had a 12-yard run and Coleman a 9-yard carry. The Jets’ other 15 rushes produced 24 yards.

It would be hard to expect the Jets, with a rookie quarterback, new pieces all over the place and still learning a new system to look like an offensive machine in their first game. There will be growing pains, they will need time to develop and build continuity together.

But protecting Zach Wilson and not putting everything on the 22-year-old’s shoulders and right throwing arm are crucially important. That’s all the coaches talked about leading up to Carolina, but that’s not what happened in the 19-14 loss.

Wilson was under siege from the first series, and he took numerous hard hits. He also came close to leading the Jets back from a 16-0 hole, showing toughness and an ability to make big plays on the move. Wilson connected with Corey Davis on two second-half touchdowns.

The Jets play their home opener Sunday against the Patriots. New England coach Bill Belichick, known for taking away opposing teams’ best players, will come up with something to try and keep Davis in check.

The run game will be critical Sunday. It will every week for that matter because the Jets don’t want to be one-dimensional, and they shouldn’t be.

Their West Coast system with the outside zone blocking scheme is supposed to make them more dynamic and difficult to defend. It’s supposed to open up play-action, and spark explosive plays off of that.

In Week 1, their run game was as efficient and effective as it was under former coach Adam Gase, including Coleman getting tackled in the backfield on a 4th-and-1 for a 1-yard loss.

Saleh said it was "a collective effort" and the mistakes by the backs and in the offensive line’s technique can be "easily fixed."

"It’s not something that we’re going to hit the panic button on," Saleh said, "but it’s something we’re going to go to the tape on, learn from it, trust what we’ve done."

The blocking scheme is designed to wear out defensive linemen because they’re forced to move horizontally if the offensive linemen are using the proper technique. The Panthers’ D-Line looked very fresh when they were hunting Wilson.

The system worked in San Francisco where LaFleur and Saleh spent the past four years working under Kyle Shanahan.

It worked for Shanahan and San Fran on Sunday. Rookie running back Elijah Mitchell ran for 108 yards, 38 coming on a long touchdown run. The 49ers had some chunk plays off of play-action. But this is their fifth year in the system.

The Jets are in the very early stages of it. It also was the first game that the starting line played together. It will be the case again Sunday, with Mekhi Becton sidelined with a knee injury.

"I thought the backs had a great week of running the football in practice and it just didn’t quite show up the way we wanted to," Saleh said. "Same thing with the offensive line.

"I thought they were doing a great job with their technique and execution throughout practice, and it didn’t show up. I don’t think it’s indicative of what this group is capable of. It’s just something that we’ve got to learn off of."

Jets sign LB Goodson, P Morstead

After losing a number of players to injury Sunday, the Jets signed linebacker B.J. Goodson and punter Thomas Morstead. They also signed safety Jarrod Wilson and offensive lineman Isaiah Williams from the practice squad to the active roster.

The Jets placed Becton, linebacker Blake Cashman (hamstring), safety LaMarcus Joyner (torn triceps) and punter Braden Mann (knee) on IR. Only Joyner is out for the season. The Jets also lost Jamien Sherwood (ankle) Sunday, but they believe he’ll return in "a couple of weeks."

Goodson, a Giants’ fourth-round pick in 2016, had 91 tackles in 14 starts for the Browns last year. Morstead spent the past 12 seasons with the Saints. His career average of 46.5 yards per punt ranks seventh all-time.

The Jets also signed linebacker Noah Dawkins and offensive lineman Elijah Nkansah to the practice squad.