A lot of games can be won by running the football effectively and playing good defense. That’s the strategy the Jets used to reach the AFC title game a season ago and that’s the strategy they’ll rely on again. Last year, New York led the NFL in rushing offense and total defense. While the Jets have taken a step back, they remain one of the best teams in the playoffs in both areas. Led by future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson and second-year pro Shonn Greene, the Jets rank fourth in the league in rushing offense with 148.4 yards per game.
L.T. had a bounce back year in New York. He rushed for 906 yards and six touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry. Greene also averaged 4.1 yards per tote and totaled 766 yards and two scores on the ground. Greene proved to be a major asset in last year’s postseason run, rushing for a total of 263 yards in New York’s two postseason victories. He may have to carry the load in the playoffs again as it appears L.T. may be slowing down a little bit.
Tomlinson hasn’t topped 50 yards on the ground in any of his last six games. Greene, meanwhile, has rushed for 64 or more yards in four of his last seven games. He certainly looked to be the fresher back when he ran for 70 yards and a score on 12 carries in his last action against Chicago’s stout defense. Tomlinson only managed 28 yards on 13 attempts against the Bears.
The Jets rank third in total defense and sixth in scoring defense with 291.4 yards and 19 points allowed per game. They rank third against the run (90.9 yards per game) and sixth against the pass (200.6 ypg). Rex Ryan’s aggressive defensive scheme starts with the dynamic cornerback duo of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. Their ability to lock down opposing wide receivers in one-on-one coverage allows the Jets to disrupt opposing offenses with a variety of blitz packages.
Cromartie, who leads the Jets with three picks, proved to be a great pickup as Revis has dealt with nagging injuries throughout the season. His size (6’2?) has proved to be a major asset against bigger wideouts as well. If these two can do their job in coverage, Ryan’s scheme makes the Jets a nightmare draw in the postseason. NFL odds makers have listed the Jets at +2500 to win Super Bowl XLV. You can also bet the Jets at +1200 to win the AFC championship.
New York may have fallen short of its high expectations in the regular season, but this team is showing great value in the playoffs at these odds. Jimmy Boyd closed out the regular season with six straight winning weeks, and you can’t expect even more profits in the postseason. Make sure you’re playing with a proven world champion handicapper for guaranteed results.
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