Five questions with Jets correspondent Dan Leberfeld

For this week's "Five questions with ..." segment, PFW associate editor Kevin Fishbain talked with publisher of Jets Confidential and PFW's Jets correspondent Dan Leberfeld to preview Sunday's Patriots-Jets game.

PFW: The Jets have said this week they are committed to the run. How do you expect the offense to look, run-pass-wise, going forward?
Leberfeld: The 'ground and pound' has turned into almost a cliché. It doesn't mean that they want to run the ball 80 percent of the time, it means they want run more effectively than they have the first month of the season. They have (WRs) Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason — three very good players who cost a lot of money. Why become a team that primarily runs the football? They are just looking for balance and to do a better job running the football.

PFW: What do you think the Jets will do with CB Darrelle Revis on Sunday?
Leberfeld: When you look at the Patriots, (Wes) Welker is their best receiver right now, and Chad Ochocinco is still learning the offense. Revis will cover the other team's best receiver — it just goes along with the Jets' mindset of him covering the top guy on the other team. They don't have anyone else equipped to cover Welker. Antonio Cromartie would be a bad matchup with his long legs, and Kyle Wilson has improved, but that would be an overwhelming matchup for him.

PFW: How will the Jets handle blitzing Tom Brady?
Leberfeld: I think it will be similar to what they did in the playoffs in terms of focusing on coverage. The Jets don't have a great pass rush, anyway, so it's not like they are weakening a strength, because their pass rush is just average. They have a lot of good defensive backs and will have a few blitzes mixed in, but not too much because (otherwise) Brady will beat you. The coverage approach — dropping a lot and rushing three, or a number like that, is something they will do.

PFW: How close is this to a must-win for the Jets?
Leberfeld: It's not a must-win because it's so early in the season, but they really need to get going and get a win so this doesn't spiral into a long losing streak and something they can't get out of. From a psyche standpoint, they need to win coming off two very disheartening losses where one or both sides of the ball fell apart. They need to get the whole team-effort thing going and also need to really get a victory in New England to turn their confidence around.

PFW: What is one player or one aspect of the game the Jets can really take advantage of?
Leberfeld: The X-factor would be the Jets finally realizing their enormous potential in the passing game. When you look at the three receivers and Sanchez, who is still trying to get on the same page as Mason and Burress, throw in (TE Dustin) Keller and L.T. as a receiver out of the backfield, this passing offense has underachieved. When you see how the Patriots have played against the pass and the fact that they have injuries at corner, the Jets need to exploit the Patriots' secondary and use their myriad weapons to do so. This is the week they can do that. Getting (C Nick) Mangold back is huge for their protection and their blocking, and I think Sanchez will have more time to throw this week.

Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/10/07/five-questions-with-jets-correspondent-dan-leberfe

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