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The Jets’ ground game soared on Sunday afternoon, thanks in large part to Le’Veon Bell spending more time on the sideline.
Adam Gase’s committee approach at running back took 11 weeks to get off the ground, but the strategy worked well at Washington. With injuries to the offensive line and the Redskins possessing a weak run defense, New York ran for over 100 yards for the first time all season in the 34-17 win.
Bell played 39 of 71 snaps, finishing with 20 touches for 92 total yards and a score. Bilal Powell and Ty Montgomery played 16 and 15 snaps, respectively. The two combined for nine carries for 53 yards. As a team, the Jets set season highs in rushing yards (115) and carries (33).
The Jets have been forced to overwork Bell because New York’s pass protection has been poor and he is the best pass-blocking back on the team. However, with Jonotthan Harrison and Tom Compton doing a good job of filling in on the offensive line Sunday, the Jets were able to deploy veterans Powell and Montgomery in the backfield.
This allowed Bell to get some rest in hopes of keeping him fresh. This is his first full season back after sitting out the entire 2018 season, and he is also dealing with some injuries to his knee and ribs.
“We’re trying to keep him as fresh as possible throughout the game but at the same time give him his touches,” Gase said. “I feel like he’s had a lot of touches this entire year. We’re trying to make sure we keep him rolling throughout the rest of the season. We still got a lot of football left.”
As for Bell and Montgomery, neither has seen much action this season. That changed on Sunday, though, and their involvement worked out well for Gang Green.
“I just think all those guys, they deserve to play,” Gase said. “They practice hard every day. We’re trying to mix in some of the runs that we’re doing. There’s certain things those guys do really well.”
Whether or not the Jets will stick to their committee approach remains to be seen — success against Washington’s run defense isn’t much of an accomplishment — but another try is certainly worth exploring. The Jets are more dynamic when they use multiple backs, and Bell being banged up only gives Gase more incentive to mix things up.