Jets running back Shonn Greene knows how good the Texans defense is. He knows it’s the No. 1-ranked unit in the NFL.
Still, Greene said he thinks the Jets can get something going against them if they execute their game plan Monday night.
“We’ve got to try to bring it to those guys and not let them bring it to us,” Greene said. “I think our offensive line has to be a bully in this game and try to get the push on them so we can make plays. We’ve just got to execute.”
The Jets running game has been a rumor so far this season. Greene has 191 yards on 68 carries with just one touchdown. The Jets’ rushing attack ranks 24th in the league at 86.5 yards per game.
Greene said as tough as the yards have been to come by, he is not losing confidence.
“You can’t get frustrated,” Greene said. “It’s a long season. I’m pretty confident we’re going to get it going and we’re going to be fine.”
Left guard Matt Slauson said the key for the Jets is avoiding the killer turnovers that could cause them to fall behind in the game and then abandon the running game.
“We have to assert our dominance early,” Slauson said. “We have to get into a rhythm. We can’t have those devastating mistakes where we turn the ball over so many times where we have to jump out of our running game.”
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The Jets denied an NFL Network report Sunday that 12,000 tickets remained unsold for tonight’s game as late as Friday. A team spokesman said tonight’s game will be televised locally along with the remainder of the Jets home games this year.
The Jets do not comment specifically on ticket sales numbers or if they have to purchase tickets to avoid a blackout, but that does not appear to be the case for Monday night.
If the Jets struggle to sell tickets, it will fuel speculation the team is going to bench quarterback Mark Sanchez in favor of Tim Tebow to generate publicity.
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The Jets expect nose tackle Sione Po’uha to miss the game with a back problem. Po’uha, who has not practiced this week, has been dealing with the back issue since training camp. He missed most of training camp as well as the season opener with the Bills.
Po’uha has played the past three games, but does not look like he is 100 percent.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that it’s definitely affected him,” defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said.
Pettine said Po’uha has been affected by the lack of training camp, as well as the pain in his back.
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The Jets will induct Mark Gastineau and Wesley Walker into the team’s Ring of Honor at halftime.