You can never have too much of anything in the NFL. The Jets found that out during Sunday’s 38-0 blowout of the lowly Raiders.
But it was a bitter-sweet win as multi-talented running back Leon Washington left the game after his first carry in the first quarter with a broken right fibula. He’s out for the season.
The Jets found out rather quickly that the cupboard isn’t bare. Rookie running back Shonn Greene took over for Washington and was the perfect complement to Thomas Jones. Greene carried 19 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns. No one inside Jets camp is surprised by Greene’s outburst. In fact, the Jets traded up to get him on draft day last April.
“He’s a talented back. We’ve been saying it all along,” Jets coach Rex Ryan told reporters of Greene. “We’ve got a whole stable of backs. You can’t have too many good players.”
Washington’s loss hit everyone hard, especially his close friend Jones. “A lot of the team is kind of devastated. I know I am devastated by it,” said Jones, who carried 26 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. “He’s one of my best friends. He’s a great teammate and a great person…It’s really hard to enjoy [the win].”Making it worse for Washington is that he was seeking a contract extension and reportedly turned down a multi-year offer from the Jets.With Washington’s leverage severely damaged and Jones eligible for free agency at the end of the season, Greene has an opportunity over the next 11 weeks to cement himself as the Jets running back of the future. But no one was thinking about that after the game.”I just felt so bad for him,” Greene said. “He’s a hard worker. He’s a big part of this team. I took it pretty hard.” As bad as he felt, Greene was all business when he stepped on the field. He credited the entire offense for his production. “We’ve got good personnel and our offensive line is one of the best in the NFL. They’re a great group and I just try to follow their lead.”Greene is going to get another chance to show his mettle against the Dolphins (2-4) at the Meadowlands on Sunday at 1 p.m.