TRENDING: After having 19 rushing attempts and 35
passes in the loss to the Ravens, the Jets wanted to establish more
offensive balance against New England. They did that almost exactly,
running the ball 25 times and passing it 26 times.
LINEUP WATCH: Wide receiver Jeremy Kerley got most
of Derrick Mason's reps in three-wide sets, and he had three receptions
for 35 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown, his first score as a pro.
Kerley, a rookie, is speedier than the veteran Mason.
NOTES
--OLB Jamaal Westerman didn't start in place of
OLB Bryan Thomas, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday because of
a torn Achilles tendon. The Jets opened the game with seven defensive
backs, two linemen and two linebackers. But Westerman did get most of
the snaps in Thomas' absence, and he responded with two sacks, his
first quarterback takedowns since he got one in his first game as a
rookie in 2009.
--C Nick Mangold returned after being scratched
for the previous two games because of a high ankle sprain. His presence
certainly helped both the running game and the protection of QB Mark Sanchez.
--WR Derrick Mason was targeted only once, making
a 7-yard catch for a first down on the Jets' next-to-last drive. He
lost most of his reps to rookie WR Jeremy Kerley. Interestingly, Mason
was named in a published report that said he and fellow WRs Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress all went to coach Rex Ryan individually and
complained about offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Mason
denied the report and said it was a coincidence that his reps were
reduced.
--RB Shonn Greene had his best game of the season,
finishing with 83 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. He is averaging
3.3 yards on 72 carries and will continue to be the featured back.
--TE Dustin Keller, the Jets' leading receiver
with 18 catches entering the game, was targeted only twice, and he had
one reception for 7 yards. The Patriots' leaky pass defense is poor
outside the hash marks but not as bad in the middle of the field, where
Keller does most of his business.
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