SAN DIEGO — Only one running back has had a better postseason start than Shonn Greene.
Ever.
The Jets’ best player on defense is Darrelle Revis. Their best player on offense might be Greene, because through two playoff games, he’s been almost unstoppable.
Yesterday, the rookie running back was at it again in the Jets’ 17-14 upset of the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium.
Last week at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Greene rambled 21 times for 135 yards and a 39-yard, game-tying TD in his first-ever playoff game.
Yesterday, he galloped 23 times for 128 yards and a 53-yard, game-clinching TD in his second-ever playoff game.
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“It doesn’t matter if I’m a rookie or not,” said Greene, the first-year star from Iowa.
“We’re in the postseason, and I’ve got a job to do, and that’s help the team out.”
Help the team out? Fair to say he’s doing that.
With his 263 rushing yards through two playoff games, Greene has the second-best total ever through two games by a rookie.
The only better effort was Duane Thomas of the Cowboys back in 1970. He ran for 278.
Pretty impressive roll by Greene, considering the importance of these games.
“We appreciate his timing,” Nick Mangold said.
Yesterday, Greene started a little slowly. But the third-round pick’s biggest run came late.
The Jets’ top-ranked running game had been limited for the bulk of the afternoon, but in the fourth quarter with the Jets leading 10-7, Greene took a handoff up the middle, banged off a tackle attempt and sprinted into the blue Charger end zone, making it 17-7 with just 7:26 left in the game.
And in the Chargers’ season, as it turned out.
“I don’t know what happened,” Chargers defensive tackle Luis Castillo said. “It was most likely a mental mistake.”
Greene also remains the more effective postseason back than Thomas Jones, the 1,400-yard man who ran 13 times for just 39 yards yesterday.
Jones started the game, as is custom for the Jets, but he didn’t do much at all in the first half, rushing only four times for 12 yards in the game’s first 30 minutes.
Jones has been battling a knee problem, but he insisted on Friday, before the Jets took off for the West Coast, that he was fine.
For the 5-11, 230-pound Greene, he might have earned himself a nickname from Rex Ryan.
“That’s a big rascal right there,” his coach said. “Once he starts getting to that second level, it’s a long day.”
And a winning one for the Jets.