After six weeks of training camp and five regular-season games, you’d figure the last thing the Jets would need to brush up on were the fundamentals of how to play football.
But that’s what they did during their week of practices leading up to yesterday’s 35-9 destruction of the Colts at MetLife Stadium. Almost every offensive lineman credited the rehearsal of the simple techniques such as footwork, stance and hand placements for their largest rushing output of the season.
By the time it was over, the Jets had gained 252 yards on the ground, including a career-high 161 by Shonn Greene.
“It was a good display of what we can do when we focus on the fundamentals,” said center Nick Mangold, echoing a theme in a postgame locker room relieved to end a two-game losing streak.
Ground-and-pound finally made an appearance yesterday with Greene being the ground hog with 32 carries and three touchdowns. It gave the Jets a taste of the identity they came into the season professing. Forget about the Wildcat and Tim Tebow and all the other exotic plays discussed. The Jets go nowhere this season unless they continue to run the ball as they did yesterday, ripping through the Colts defense for an average of 5.7 yards per carry.
“It’s good for the guys to see that,” Mangold said. “We’ll watch film and get better and get back to work.”
The success of the running game made it an easy afternoon for quarterback Mark Sanchez, who completed 11-of-18 passes for just 82 yards, but threw for two touchdowns. This is the blueprint they must follow for the remainder of the season if they are to be successful. They ran the football; they controlled time of possession 33:40 to 26:20; and they kept Sanchez in a comfort zone.
“We’ve believed since Day 1 that we could get the job done and do what we did today,” right tackle Austin Howard said. “And we believe we can continue to do this as the games go on.”
Without a running game, the Jets were helpless against the 49ers and couldn’t beat the Texans. But against the Colts, Greene looked like a marquee back capable of dominating a game. The offensive line was helped by a two-tight end package that included the return of Dustin Keller. Together they dominated the Colts, who came in allowing 133.8 rushing yards per game.
With Keller back and wide receivers Stephen and Jason Hill showing potential, the Jets might have more playmakers than originally thought. They’ve rediscovered a playmaker in Greene.
“It was a good feeling not only for me, but our whole offense,” Greene said. “The offensive line works hard. They bust their butts. This was the success they needed and we needed as an offense.”
The Jets understand the Colts aren’t the 49ers or the Texans or even the Patriots, whom they face Sunday at New England. But beggars can’t be choosers. The Jets (3-3) entered the game having averaged just 83 yards with one rushing touchdown. Greene had averaged just 43.4 yards.
The lack of production had been a topic of conversation all week, with coach Rex Ryan insisting his unit wasn’t far from having a big day. That big day came yesterday.
“We’ve been close,” Ryan said. “Today we were able to pop some.”
They’ll need to continue to pop more runs at New England and beyond. But that could prove difficult. Expect the Patriots and other teams to pack the line of scrimmage and force Sanchez to beat them through the air. That’s the way it was during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The Jets were still able to establish enough of a running game to keep pressure off Sanchez. They’ll need to repeat that this year.
It’s fundamental.
george.willis@nypost.com