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The Redskins had no sacks, and Shonn Greene ran for 88 yards. The blockers, including Mulligan and Connor, did a solid job for the Jets in their win over Washington. Let’s take a look.
On the Jets initial third down of the game, Sanchez had an eternity to throw, and hit Plaxico Burress for a gain of five on the short left side.
The Jets ran an effective screen to LaDainian Tomlinson on the first series, to the left side, that gained 16 yards. Nick Mangold did a nice job of getting out in front and locking up LB Perry Riley. Matt Slauson was also helpful in space. LT was injured (left knee) on the play when S O.J. Atogwe threw him to the ground out of bounds.
The best running play of this opening scoring drive was a gain of seven by Green off right guard. Mangold and Brandon Moore did a fine job on this play opening a big hole. Mangold locked up NT Barry Cofield, and Moore took care of DE Adam Carriker.
In the middle of this drive, the Jets executed a successful fourth-and-one play with a handoff (dive play) to John Connor. They got it, but barely.
This possession ended with a one-yard touchdown run by Green. The run came off left tackle, and two of the key blocks on this play were by Connor and TE Matt Mulligan.
Mulligan has been a lightening rod this year due to an overabundance of penalties, but I will say this – he is a stout, powerful blocker, and aside from his one penalty in this game on the first series of the second half, he had a solid game.
The second possession didn’t start out very well when LB Ryan Kerrigan blew up a Green rushing attempt off right guard. Kerrigan gave his fellow Boilermaker Dustin Keller some problems on this play. This possession was a three-and-out.
On the next drive, the Jets drove 57 yards on 10 plays, and ended up kicking a field goal. There was some good pass protection on this drive, and Sanchez had four completions, including a 12-yard connection with Santonio Holmes, and an 18-yarder to Burress. The best running play of this drive was an eight-yard run off left tackle by Greene. Another nice lead block by Connor on this play, and Greene helped his own cause by breaking a tackle attempt by S Reed Doughty early in the scamper.
The third quarter wasn’t a good one for the offense. It was loaded with penalties (including two on Keller on one series) and short possessions. On the drive that led to the only Jets score of the quarter, a 51-yard field goal by Folk, there was an impressive running play on first down. Green ran for eight yards behind Mulligan on the right side.
On the TD that made it 27-16, on a direct snap to Greene, it was another nice job by the combo of Connor and Mulligan. Also Slauson did a terrific job of pulling out in front of the runner.
So overall, a nice game for the blockers, and we can’t leave without mentioned what a good job D’Brickashaw Ferguson did on OLB Brian Orakpo, and Wayne Hunter on OLB Kerrigan.