To control passing game, Jets must stop Peterson on ground
Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings watches a replay on the scoreboard during the game against the Miami Dolphins. (Sept. 19, 2010) Credit: Getty Images
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Brett Favre, Randy Moss . . . Isn't there another Vikings offensive player the Jets need to account for Monday night?
"The whole key is stopping Adrian Peterson," said Jets linebacker Calvin Pace, who will make his season debut Monday at the Meadowlands after missing the first four games with a broken foot. "He's a guy who can be bottled up, you think you've got him, and he'll break it for an 80-yard touchdown."
Peterson is fourth in the league with 392 rushing yards (through three games, one fewer than every other runner in the top five) and has a team-high 13 receptions. With the newly acquired Moss in the mix, Favre may be tempted to stretch the field, but he can do that only if Peterson softens up the Jets' defense on the ground. "He's special because he's a bigger guy with little-man moves," Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said. "He's strong and breaks a lot of tackles."
The Jets should be thrilled, then, that Pace is back. Darrelle Revis (hamstring) also said Friday that he could play if the game were Saturday, and all signs point to his return after having missed 21/2 games.
With Revis in the secondary, the Jets won't need to provide safety help on Moss and could have a safety free to focus on tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, one of Favre's most dependable pass-catchers. That also could leave plenty of help up front to keep Peterson from reaching the second level of the defense or wriggling free from too few tacklers.
Peterson lost 10 fumbles in the previous two seasons - though he hasn't fumbled once in 2010 - and Pace and the Jets would like to prove the only knock on Peterson to be true. But not at a steep price.
"For me personally, it's definitely more important to get the guy on the ground," Pace said. "You want to get the ball out, but you have to be sure of the tackle first. Especially with a guy like him."
Notes & quotes: Revis said he will wait until Sunday or Monday to let the medical staff and coaches know if he's ready, but he said his practice work the past three days has gone without any setbacks . . . Rex Ryan said that of the players who were limited in practice Friday - Revis, DE Shaun Ellis, C Nick Mangold, OL Wayne Hunter, G Brandon Moore and LB Jamaal Westerman - only Westerman is likely to miss the game . . . Ryan also said CB Drew Coleman will be the nickel corner if Revis plays, dropping rookie Kyle Wilson to the dime corner.
