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Inside the Playbook - NY Jets at Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson ready to run all over his former team
Key Matchup: RB Chris Johnson vs. SS Michael Griffin
BY HANK GOLA NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Saturday, December 13, 2014, 12:00 PM
NY JETS AT TITANS, LP FIELD, 4 P.M.
LINE: Jets by 2
TV: Ch. 2 (Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker)
RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM (Bob Wischusen, Marty Lyons), in Spanish on WEPN 1050 AM (Clemson Smith Muniz, Oscar Benitez)
FORECAST: Partly sunny, 55 , 2 mph winds.
INJURY REPORT
The Titans lost QB Zach Mettenberger to a shoulder injury against the Giants. Jake Locker is back in under center and his mobility will come in handy with both tackles, Michael Oher (toe) and Taylor Lewan (ankle) expected to miss a third straight game. Even backup Byron Stingily (ankle) is hobbled, meaning either Terren Jones or Jamon Meredith , both signed this week, could end up starting. The Jets will make a game-time decision on returning DE Mo Wilkerson (turf toe) to action after a two-week absence. WR Percy Harvin is questionable play after spraining his ankle in the midst of a big receiving day against his old team in Minnesota. TE Jace Amaro will return from a concussion. S Antonio Allen is out with a broken hand.
KEY MATCHUP
RB Chris Johnson vs. SS Michael Griffin
This is Johnson’s Super Bowl. The man known as CJ2K when he was the Titans’ home run hitter had vowed to tear up his old team. With Griffin up in the box, the former teammates and texting buddies will be seeing a lot of each other. The Titans’ run defense has been dreadful, a combination of poor tackling and undisciplined gap control. They have been giving up a league-worst 140 yards per game with Johnson looking to become the seventh straight 100-yard rusher against them.
SCOUT SAYS
“The Jets still have a lot of components. The Titans don’t. They should be able to take it to the Titans physically on both sides of the ball, get after Locker on D and just pound it with their running game. Locker has some skills (three TD passes vs. Jets in last year’s game). He was benched because he just couldn’t stay healthy. The Titans have the league’s worst third down conversion rate and it’s not going to get any better behind this offensive line. We might see some sprint out passes and screens because the Jets are going to be coming hard. There will be some opportunities for Geno Smith against this defense. He threw it pretty well last week. He’ll have time in the pocket, that’s for sure.”
INTANGIBLES
A team in worse shape than the Jets? Yep. The Jets and Titans may share the same league-worst 2-11 record but the Titans lead the league in haplessness. They’ve dropped 11 of 12, including eight by at least two TDs and have given up 124 points in their last three losses. Both rosters can expect overhauls in the offseason but the Titans can’t even try to win one for their dear leader. First-year head coach Ken Whisenhunt isn’t getting sacked, even though mutual alum Neil O’Donnell said on his radio show this week that a lot of Titans don’t want to play for Whiz. Rex Ryan is a lame duck, and he knows it. He’s even turning down the blindfold from Woody Johnson telling him to fire when ready. In a way, the loser wins.
PREDICTION
JETS, 27-13: Even they can’t screw this one up, can they?
Key Matchup: RB Chris Johnson vs. SS Michael Griffin
BY HANK GOLA NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Saturday, December 13, 2014, 12:00 PM
NY JETS AT TITANS, LP FIELD, 4 P.M.
LINE: Jets by 2
TV: Ch. 2 (Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker)
RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM (Bob Wischusen, Marty Lyons), in Spanish on WEPN 1050 AM (Clemson Smith Muniz, Oscar Benitez)
FORECAST: Partly sunny, 55 , 2 mph winds.
INJURY REPORT
The Titans lost QB Zach Mettenberger to a shoulder injury against the Giants. Jake Locker is back in under center and his mobility will come in handy with both tackles, Michael Oher (toe) and Taylor Lewan (ankle) expected to miss a third straight game. Even backup Byron Stingily (ankle) is hobbled, meaning either Terren Jones or Jamon Meredith , both signed this week, could end up starting. The Jets will make a game-time decision on returning DE Mo Wilkerson (turf toe) to action after a two-week absence. WR Percy Harvin is questionable play after spraining his ankle in the midst of a big receiving day against his old team in Minnesota. TE Jace Amaro will return from a concussion. S Antonio Allen is out with a broken hand.
KEY MATCHUP
RB Chris Johnson vs. SS Michael Griffin
This is Johnson’s Super Bowl. The man known as CJ2K when he was the Titans’ home run hitter had vowed to tear up his old team. With Griffin up in the box, the former teammates and texting buddies will be seeing a lot of each other. The Titans’ run defense has been dreadful, a combination of poor tackling and undisciplined gap control. They have been giving up a league-worst 140 yards per game with Johnson looking to become the seventh straight 100-yard rusher against them.
SCOUT SAYS
“The Jets still have a lot of components. The Titans don’t. They should be able to take it to the Titans physically on both sides of the ball, get after Locker on D and just pound it with their running game. Locker has some skills (three TD passes vs. Jets in last year’s game). He was benched because he just couldn’t stay healthy. The Titans have the league’s worst third down conversion rate and it’s not going to get any better behind this offensive line. We might see some sprint out passes and screens because the Jets are going to be coming hard. There will be some opportunities for Geno Smith against this defense. He threw it pretty well last week. He’ll have time in the pocket, that’s for sure.”
INTANGIBLES
A team in worse shape than the Jets? Yep. The Jets and Titans may share the same league-worst 2-11 record but the Titans lead the league in haplessness. They’ve dropped 11 of 12, including eight by at least two TDs and have given up 124 points in their last three losses. Both rosters can expect overhauls in the offseason but the Titans can’t even try to win one for their dear leader. First-year head coach Ken Whisenhunt isn’t getting sacked, even though mutual alum Neil O’Donnell said on his radio show this week that a lot of Titans don’t want to play for Whiz. Rex Ryan is a lame duck, and he knows it. He’s even turning down the blindfold from Woody Johnson telling him to fire when ready. In a way, the loser wins.
PREDICTION
JETS, 27-13: Even they can’t screw this one up, can they?
