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Jets linebacker . . .
Quincy Williams was running around seemingly unencumbered today during linebacker drills today at practice in Florham Park.
On September 25, Williams suffered what looked like a very serious ankle injury against the Cincinnati Bengals. In fact, not only did he have to leave the game, he was carted off.
Headline (NJ.com) – “Quincy Williams carted off with scary ankle injury.”
Some wondered if he had a torn Achilles or broken lower leg.
Now, three weeks later, he looks like the might be able to play this week.
Modern medicine is pretty freakin amazing.
He looked very mobile running around out there today.
But the one thing teams need to be careful with, especially this close to the initial injury, is making the player active, and then they suffer a setback early in the game, leaving them short-handed at a position.
For instance, in the Jets-Dolphins game, Miami left tackle Terron Armstead was “questionable” with a turf toe, but started the game, but then re-injured the toe in the first quarter, and was done for the day.
So you have to discern if you think the player, even if he’s feeling better during the week, will be able to make it through the game . . .
Speaking of ankle sprains, Jermaine Johnson seems to be doing a lot better after hurting his ankle against the Dolphins, and leaving the stadium in a walking boot after the game.
He was walking with no limp today, and wearing sandals, with no bulky brace or wrapping . . .
A huge, huge factor in this upcoming game will be the Jets’ run defense. Because, remember, while many people think any offense with Aaron Rodgers is pass-happy, the current one really isn’t. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, the brother of Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, runs that 49er-type system as well, which is all about the run setting up the pass, and the Packers have an outstanding one-two punch at running back with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon.
Even though overall their 40-17 win over Miami was very impressive, one aspect of their performance that was a little substandard last week was their run defense.
With Miami playing two backup offensive tackles, the Jets gave up 137 yards rushing, to a team playing a rookie third-string QB. The reason I bring up the third-string rookie QB is that you should be able to put an extra guy in the box since the kid isn’t going to see the field that well, and the last thing you want him to have is a running game.
If their run defense is substandard in Green Bay, they have very little chance to win this game. Rodgers is lethal on play-action.
Why Jets run defense struggled against Miami with two backup offensive tackles, is hard to say, but one problem at times was edge-setting, and another issue was when they rotated to reserve defensive linemen . . .
One of the big reasons the Green Bay Packers lost to San Francisco in the playoffs last year was bad special teams, and they fired their special teams coach after last season and hired Rich Bisaccia, the former Las Vegas Raiders coach, who hails from Yonkers.
Jets special team’s whiz Justin Hardee sees a big improvement from the Packers special teams under Bisaccia, and the Jets should expect a “fist fight” as he put it. He said they are “competing better.”
Hardee told JC that two players making a big difference for Green Bay’s special teams are safety Rudy Ford, signed from Jacksonville, and cornerback Keisean Nixon, who followed Bisaccia from Las Vegas . . .
October 12, 2022
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