Shonn Greene, according to Rex Ryan, remains the starting running back for the Jets despite the fact Greene was not on the field for the first offensive play of Sunday’s 34-0 loss to the 49ers.
Ryan said Bilal Powell started Sunday because of the personnel grouping the Jets opened the game in. Powell played 32 snaps to Greene’s 18, leading to questions about whether Powell had supplanted Greene as the team’s featured back.
“No,” Ryan said. “Will we rotate some backs? Sure, there’s no doubt. We’ve always done that. That was definitely a personnel grouping. That’s why he started. When you look at it, he had more snaps because, quite honestly, he’s our a third-down back and when you get behind like we were behind, you’re obviously throwing the ball much more.”
Greene has gotten off to a slow start this season. He has 191 yards on 68 carries and one touchdown. He is averaging 2.8 yards per carry. Powell has 99 yards on 26 carries, an average of 3.8.
The Jets also are moving Joe McKnight back to running back after playing him at cornerback last week. McKnight said he is glad to be back on offense and believes the Jets can improve their running game, which is 24th in the NFL (86.5 yards per game)
“We can be the best running team in the NFL,” McKnight said. “We’ve just got to work at it.”
* A year ago as a member of the Jaguars, Jason Hill called the Jets “overhyped” and implied Darrelle Revis was overrated because of playing in New York. Now, Hill is a Jet.
The team signed the wide receiver yesterday to help fill the void left by Santonio Holmes’ season-ending injury. Hill said no one on the Jets even joked with him about his comments from last eyar.
“I didn’t think anything of it,” he said. “I don’t think our team down in Jacksonville thought anything of it. But, obviously, up here you all did. It’s in the past. We’re teammates now. We’re going to move forward accordingly.”
Hill, 27, was working out for the Saints Tuesday morning when the Jets called his agent to express interest. He flew to New Jersey Tuesday afternoon and signed with the team yesterday. Hill spent training camp with the Broncos before getting cut before the season.
“I’m here to work and learn as much as I can as fast as I can and hopefully get some wins,” Hill said. “I think we’re in dire need of some. Hopefully I can bring that, a little bit here, a little bit there and help the guys pick up the morale. Looking at the guys on TV, I think the morale needs to be picked up offensively.”
NT Sione Po’uha (back) was not at practice during the portion open to the media. … WR Stephen Hill (hamstring) and TE Dustin Keller (hamstring) worked to the side with trainers. … FB John Conner (hamstring) and LB Bart Scott (toe) rode stationary bikes.