Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn expects a big game from Shonn Greene Sunday.
The Jets lead back had a rough outing last week in Miami, rushing for 40 yards on 19 carries for a paltry 2.1-yard average. That led to the floating of an idea this week that backup Bilal Powell should take more of Greene’s carries.
Lynn said he knows he will have a motivated Greene today.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him play this week,” Lynn said. “I know how this kid is. When he’s challenged and when he knows he didn’t play his best game he usually comes back with a tremendous performance.”
Lynn said he thought Greene played well against the Bills in Week 1 outside of two fumbles. He also thought the fourth-year back was on his way to a big game before suffering a head injury in the second quarter against the Steelers.
Last week against the Dolphins, Lynn said Greene made some mistakes and could have played better.
“I’m not down on him,” Lynn said. “I know what he brings to the table. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. He has a tendency to get a little down on himself because he has very high expectations for himself.”
Greene typically plays better the more carries he gets in a game. He also has been a slow starter, improving as the season goes on.
“I’m trying to coach him out of that a little bit,” Lynn said. “I’m trying to coach a little more urgency early on. You just don’t know how many touches you’re going to get. You’re not at the University of Iowa where they’re going to ride you and give you the ball 35 times a game. That’s not the case.”
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Jets coach Rex Ryan called 49ers tight end Vernon Davis the best in football this week. He presents a huge challenge for the Jets defense, which has struggled against tight ends.
Davis, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound freak of nature, has blazing speed and is a sure-handed receiver.
“He plays like a wideout,” safety Yeremiah Bell said. “The thing they like to do with him is get him vertical a lot. They like to stretch the field with him. It’s going to be a challenge for us to get some hands on him and not let him get into the route quickly. It seems like the quicker you let him get into the route and get his horses running, then the better he gets. It’s going to be key to get hands on him and slow him down and kind of frustrate him.”
The Jets signed Bell and LaRon Landry this offseason to improve their safety play. This will be a test to see if the moves worked.
“He’s great, an overall complete tight end,” Landry said. “He can be used as a wideout. That’s the way I see him, a big, physical, strong wideout. We’ve just got to play him well in coverage. I might be matched up on him a couple of times. I’m ready for whatever.”