Will the Jets Go Wild(cat)?
Although the Daily News Headline reads “Expect ‘Wildcat’ type offense from Jets against Raiders” the article is less enthusiastic about whether the team will use it this weekend against the Raiders.
In separate games [last season] running back Leon Washington scored on an 18-yard run and completed a 36-yard pass – both on direct snaps in shotgun formation.
When that was mentioned to him this week, Washington smiled.
“Thank you, I appreciate that,” he said, glad that somebody remembered.
The Jets haven’t used it this season, although Washington would love to dust off that page in their playbook, allowing him and Thomas Jones to line up in the same formation the way the Dolphins are utilizing Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.
If the Jets don’t break out the “Wildcat” Sunday in Oakland, they’d better be prepared to defend it. The Raiders (1-4) have used it three times with Darren McFadden, and now that the rookie running back has recovered from a turf-toe injury that hampered him for a month, it could be featured in their game plan.
So what is the Wildcat? Here’s a long discussion of it’s older name … the Single Wing on Wikipedia.
Gary Horton from Scouts Inc. wrote an article recently about who he thinks have the personnel to run the Wildcat, and the Jets name isn’t in the list. Even so, they do have a number of the pieces. Faneca can run pulling blocks, Brad Smith and Chansi Stucker are throwing options while, Thomas Jones is a grinder (would likely take the snaps) and Leon is the ‘quick outside option who can turn the cormer while Dustin Keller can get up the seam. Most concerning is Jones ability to actually churn for hard yards and get them, as he’s still below a four yard per carry average on the season.
Honestly, I don’t get much feeling that the Jets will need to use the single wing and doing so would just seem like mimicry to me. The Jets have a team who can beat the Raiders (though I think it will be close) and focusing on adding that right now seems like the wrong move. If the Jets do it and it works, great, but I’m not holding my breath to see if they copycat a trend in the league right now, they need to be more focused on getting better at running the ball straight up without gimicks.
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I agree. I don’t see the point. The Raiders have a inexperienced QB and the Dolphins have Chad. Using a formation like the single wing plays to their strengths (the running game).
We have a much better passing offense. You don’t pay Brett Favre $10 million a year to block. We’re stronger with the ball in his hands.
Chase:
I don’t know about that. We are only a couple of yds behind Oakland in rushing, and you know who they have. We are out to prove a point to the rest of the NFL.
We are out to identify ourselves on the ground game. That is where we must go now !!!
I think Brad Smith would be a better “option” than Jones handling it; Smith can run and he can pass and you’d still have TJ & LW back there. Problem is you got Favre and do you need a new wrinkle?
What I want to see is how Eric and Bob tame the “Wildcat”.
whats the point of the Jets go wild(cat). We dont need it. We got Favre who can make all the throws and their defense isn’t that good
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