Part of the difficulty getting ready for a Thursday game in the NFL is recovering as quickly as possible from the bumps and bruises of playing Sunday. That shouldn’t be a problem for Brandon Marshall.
The Jets wide receiver couldn’t have absorbed much punishment in the 23-22 loss to the Bengals on Sunday, considering he caught just three passes for 32 yards despite being targeted eight times, including a drop on a pass that would have jump-started the Jets’ final drive. Those soft numbers have to change if the Jets (0-1) are going to make anything of their season. And it needs to begin Thursday against Rex Ryan and the AFC East rival Bills (0-1) in Buffalo.
Marshall should be every bit the player that Bengals standout wide receiver A.J. Green is. But it was Green who proved to be the more productive player in the Jets home opener, catching 12 passes for 180 yards, including a 54-yard bomb for a touchdown. He also had an 11-yard grab in the fourth quarter that set up the game-winning field goal.
That’s the kind of player Marshall is supposed to be for the Jets. But he was a virtual non-factor on Sunday as was fellow wide receiver Eric Decker, who caught just two passes for 37 yards and one score.
“We know they’re going to be doubling those two guys,” head coach Todd Bowles said Monday. “We know that going in. We’ve got to have plays where we can go elsewhere. But we’ve also got to have plays where they can work even though they’re getting doubled.”
Later he added, “Those were our two playmakers last year. We’ve got to shake them free somehow and get some more touches.”
Marshall, who has been nursing a hip injury, didn’t seem frustrated with anything other than the loss. He said the lack of production by him and Decker was a by-product of the Jets having success with a running game that produced 152 yards. Matt Forte was the Jets most productive player, rushing for 96 yards and catching five passes for 59 yards. Second-year player Quincy Enunwa was the most productive receiver, catching seven passes for 54 yards.
“I’m not going to lie to you,” said Marshall, who collected a career-high 14 touchdowns and 1,502 receiving yards last season. “It doesn’t feel good not catching balls and scoring touchdowns every week. But there’s a reason why Quincy had seven catches. I’m getting double coverage. Eric is getting double coverage. Matt is creating eight-man boxes. When you have Quincy catching a lot of balls, eventually it will swing back our way. But at this point, all I’m concerned about is our offense being efficient and winning.”
The Jets weren’t especially efficient Sunday, especially in the red zone. They made five trips inside the Bengals’ 20-yard line and came away with two touchdowns and two field goals. Another field goal was blocked. Several of the missed connections came with the Jets throwing into the end zone.
After the game, Marshall called the Jets red-zone execution, “the poorest I’ve ever seen from our side.” He was more diplomatic on Monday.
“It’s just us coming down with the ball,” he said. “[Ryan Fitzpatrick] throwing the ball; receivers catching the ball; O-line blocking it up. We feel comfortable with our game plan. We love what we’re doing out there. We just didn’t come down with it.”
The Jets have to quickly figure out their issues with just two more practices before Thursday’s game against the Bills, who beat the Jets twice last year, including the final game of the season, denying Gang Green of a playoff spot. Marshall caught eight passes for 126 yards and one TD in that final game, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 22-17 win by the Bills.
Count on Rex Ryan to come up with a scheme to take Marshall and Decker out of the game, force the ball short to Enunwa and take his chances with Forte. That has already proven to be a game plan that can beat the Jets.