Tag: Jets running game

Adam Gase expects Le’Veon Bell, Frank Gore to ‘do some damage together’

Adam Gase believes the combo of Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore can do major damage in 2020.

After signing Frank Gore to a one-year deal, Adam Gase thinks the Jets backfield can be a major threat.

Gore will serve in the backup role to Le’Veon Bell in 2020. The two running backs bring very different skillsets to the table. However, Gase believes that will ultimately be beneficial for the Jets when running the football against opposing defenses.

“He’s a great guy for Le’Veon to be around,” Gase told the team’s website. “Those two guys can really do some damage together. We have two guys that can play all three downs. They both have outstanding skillsets. There’s a little bit of difference in their running style and how they do things, but we know Frank really well and we know how to use them.”

Gase previously said that he wants to lessen the load for Bell next season. Bell had 311 touches in 2019 after a year out of football in 2018. Gore, despite approaching age 37, can come in and handle 150+ touches right away.

As Gase alluded to, he knows how to use Gore. The two spent a season together in Miami in 2018 and first got to know each other in San Francisco. Gore ran for 722 total yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry while with the Dolphins.

It will be on Gase to figure out how share the ball between Gore and Bell. Maybe Gase can line up Bell more as a wide receiver, which happened a few times in 2019, with Gore in the backfield. Gase can also put them together in the shotgun to give the opposing defense a new look. Gase should have fun shifting around both guys within the offense.

At the end of the day, though, it just comes down to production. If Gase can get the most out of Bell and Gore, then the Jets running game will be dangerous in 2020.

Adam Gase hopes to lessen the load for Le’Veon Bell in 2020

Adam Gase wants to ease the workload of Le’Veon Bell with a running back by committee. He also wants to utilize other options on offense.

Adam Gase wants to change the way the Jets utilize their running game in 2020.

Gase was on ESPN’s Rich Cimini’s “Flight Deck” podcast and explained how he wants to take some of the pressure off Le’Veon Bell’s shoulders. Instead of trying to maximize Bell’s usage, Gase prefers using a committee of running backs to ease the workload of the 28-year-old. It’s all part of Gase’s “less is more” style of running.

“I do think we have some guys that can help maybe lessen the load on [Bell] to where it’s not all on him,” Gase said. “Hopefully, we can get some of the younger backs to where we can make a good one-two punch to where we can really excel instead of feeling like it’s just all on him all the time.”

Despite what many think, Gase used Bell a lot last season. Between rushing attempts and receptions, Bell had 311 touches. It wasn’t nearly the amount he got in Pittsburgh, but keep in mind it was Bell’s first season back after taking a year off in 2018. Gase couldn’t just throw him into the fire and expect 400 touches out of him. The Jets would’ve run him into the ground had they done that.

While Gase says they want to have a committee of running backs, there isn’t much depth after Bell. Fourth-round pick La’Mical Perine figures to be second on the depth chart, but after that, it’s a collection of unproven rushers in Kenneth Dixon, Josh Adams and Trenton Cannon.

What should help Bell next season is an improved offensive line and more playmakers in the offense. The Jets might have five new starters on the offensive line next season. Meanwhile, they added some weapons in Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims. They’ll also get Chris Herndon and Ryan Griffin back.

Those players should help open up the offense more. Last season, Bell was facing a loaded box on 36.3 percent of his runs. It’s hard to have success as a running back when opposing defenses know what’s coming. So Gase thinks Bell should see fewer players in the box because of the other threats the Jets have.

“If you have the vertical threats like I think we’re going to have with the wide receivers now, hey, maybe we’ll start seeing two-high zone instead of them just focusing on one guy in the receiving corps,” Gase said.