Run Defense Nowhere to Be Found in 23-20 Loss to Redskins

Posted by Matt Loede on November 4th, 2007 filed in Game Stories

Someone must have told the Jets run defense to stay home Sunday, as they forgot that the Washington Redskins like to run Clinton Portis.  Not only did the Jets get a heavy dose of Portis on Sunday at the Meadowlands, they got him rammed down their throats, as they blew a 17-3 third quarter lead in losing to the Redskins 23-20 in overtime.  Portis went off Sunday  for a whopping 196 yards on 36 carries.  The Jets  played hard, but just didn’t have enough in the end to stop Portis.  The back was the story in OT for Washington, as he rushed  for 37 yards on the game-winning drive to set up Shaun Suisham’s 46-yard winning field goal.

It was a bittersweet loss for the now 1-8 Jets, who did seem to get a spark from new starting QB Kellen Clemens, who despite throwing for just 226 yards, he helped the Jets build a 17-3 lead in the third quarter until Portis really started taking over.  From the 9:21 mark of the third quarter, the Jets were outscored 20-3 to lose again.

The Redskins run defense also did an okay job, holding the Jets to 124 yards on 26 carries.  Washington overall scored on six of their 10 drives in the game, and they held the Jets to just one score in their last six possessions. The Jets next week will get the bye before they return to action on 11/18 at home against the Steelers.