LaDainian Tomlinson is a pro’s pro. He’s the type of player who understands what needs to be done to win games. Whether it means he is a big part of a particular game or not, Tomlinson knows the deal.
Sunday’s 37-10 thrashing of the hapless Kansas City Chiefs is a perfect example. Tomlinson knows late-season games can be difficult, no matter who the opponent is.
Two weeks ago, the Jets needed a few last-minute miscues by the Redskins to secure a 34-19 win. On paper, the win looked clean, but Washington hung with the Jets for 55 minutes.
Now fast forward to Sunday. The Jets dominated the Chiefs from start to finish, but the Chiefs didn’t just lie down. The Jets had to execute on both sides of the ball.
“I don’t know in this league if any team would just go away, but that is an important point-to get up on teams fast, particularly teams that may not be in the playoff race,” said Tomlinson.
The 32-year-old veteran running back had 50 yards receiving and a touchdown in the Jets’ win on Sunday. His score gave the Jets a 28-3 halftime lead, which essentially was the nail in the coffin for the Chiefs. In previous weeks, the Jets failed to finish off drives or take advantage of easy opportunities. That wasn’t the case on Sunday.
“All the way around, this was probably our best team effort,” said Tomlinson. The question is, will the rest of the team finally understand that it takes a full 60 minutes to win in the NFL? Not just the first quarter or just a half, but a full game?
The Jets (8-5) sometimes have a way of getting ahead of themselves. Teams won’t just roll over. Their loss to the Broncos and close wins against reeling teams like the Bills and Redskins prove the Jets still have some work to do before they call themselves a finished product.
“If you get up fast a lot of times, from there you can just get going. Sometimes it will be an easy day. Sometimes it won’t,” Tomlinson added. “But today it worked out.”
Will it work on Sunday in Philadelphia against the Eagles? Check back with us on Sunday around 7:15 p.m.