New York Jets 38, Oakland Raiders 0
The Jets won this game with defense and the running game. That is good because it allowed them to protect Mark Sanchez who has been having problems as of late. Sanchez completed 9 of 15 passes for 143 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs. He also carried the ball 2 times for 4 yards (2.0 ypc) with a TD. Rookie Shonn Greene showed why the Jets traded up to get him last April as he carried the ball 19 times for 144 yards (7.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs. Thomas Jones was also electric in this game with 26 carries for 121 yards (4.7 ypc) with 1 TD grab. David Clowney was also outstanding for the Jets in this game with 4 receptions for 79 yards (19.8 avg) with a TD catch. The Jets finished up with 447 total yards on offense (316 rushing, 131 passing) as they held onto the football for 35:57 in this game.
OLB Calvin Pace was outstanding for the Jets in this game as he finished with 7 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 pass defensed and he had 1 QB hit. Safety Jim Leonhard also had a big game with 6 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 passes defensed and he had 1 interception. The Raiders finished up with 263 total yards (119 rushing, 144 passing) in this game. The Jets are now 4-3 on the season.
The Jets are going to need more out of Mark Sanchez. The running game cannot do everything. I know Sanchez has been making a lot of mistakes lately, but they need to let him loose a little more. If they really want to make a run at the playoffs, they are going to need a productive quarterback. If the rookie cannot do anything besides throw the ball 15 times and hand it off the rest, then maybe he should not be the starter. I guess they don’t have much of an option though, as Kellen Clemens and Eric Ainge would probably play worse than Sanchez…