Are Jets Fans Ready for Return of Ground and Pound?

It seems like only yesterday that Jets owner Woody Johnson, unwilling to tolerate his team missing the playoffs four years in a row, put an end to the reign of head coach Rex Ryan.  Those fans who had grown tired of Ryan along with Johnson, were finally able to exhale.  Gone was Ryan’s archaic “ground and pound” offensive philosophy.

It was time for the Jets to enter the 21st century on offense and bring in a coach who was going to groom a young quarterback and light up the scoreboard (or so they’d hoped), Ryan’s ground and pound was dead.  Until now, that is.

With the addition of another defensive head coach in Aaron Glenn, the Jets appear primed to rely heavily on their ground game once again after signing free agent quarterback Justin Fields, who is one of the elite runners in the NFL.

Having an impressive group of backs in Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis and undrafted free agent Donovan Edwards will help.  All personnel considered, this version of ground and pound should be far more electric with Fields than it was with Mark Sanchez.

And of course it’s more than just about the backs.  The Jets are expecting a boost in play from their offensive line where, if things to go plan, they will have upgraded massively at both tackle spots.

Second-year left tackle Olu Fashanu should be taking over full time after sitting for much of last season, while rookie first-round pick Armand Membou steps in on the right side.