New York Jets Daily Fly By: Matt Forte Needs to Pipe Down About Playcalling
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 29: Running back Matt Forte #22 of the New York Jets runs the ball against defensive end Adrian Clayborn #99 of the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on October 29, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Atlanta Falcons won 25-20. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

New York Jets veteran running back Matt Forte had a lot to say about the playcalling after their loss to the Falcons. He needs to pipe down.

If there’s one thing that could turn a bitter loss and three-game losing streak into a more than horrific day is when a player outwardly questions the team via the media.

Following the New York Jets 25-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon, that’s exactly what Matt Forte accomplished.

Forte, 31, (politely) unloaded on Jets offensive coordinator John Morton for not sticking with the run. (Politely unloaded is how Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News put it.)

“I only had four carries this game, so I don’t really think we ran the ball enough with the weather being the way it was,” said Forte, who picked up seven yards on those handful of runs. “I think that kind of hurt us.”

“I’m definitely surprised by that, because we knew the weather was going to be like that,” Forte continued about why Morton didn’t dial up more runs for anyone wearing green-and-white. “It continued to rain the entire game. I think we only ran the ball 20 times. (There) should have been at least one person getting 20 carries — something like that — with the way the weather was. I thought we were going to grind them out on the ground like that, but it ended up not turning out that way.”

“You got a wet ball out there,” Forte said. “It’s rainy. It wasn’t like a light drizzle. It was really really raining. If I was a coordinator… (and) I’m obviously biased because I’m a running back – raining like that, yeah, you would think that we would run it more than we did. But like I said every game is different. He’s calling the plays. He has to call what he sees out there…. We have to execute the plays no matter what he calls.”

Is this guy serious?

If anything, Morton stuck to the run to a fault.

New York ran the ball 22 times for a meager 43 yards, averaging out to a horrid 2.0 yards a carry. It wasn’t the rushing attack that got the Jets the early lead, either. It was entrusting Josh McCown to find Robby Anderson and other weapons downfield.

Why is passing always more available for the Jets offense? It’s simple. The defense loads the box on almost every play.

Forte’s savvy enough to understand offensive football is a chess game. OC’s need to take what the defense gives them, and when it comes to these Jets and McCown, defenses always give them the over-the-top stuff (with a single-high safety).

In fact, this league is run nowadays in which rushing the ball is optional. With a west coast offense, the short, three-step drop timing plays are a fine substitute for the running game. Recent Super Bowl champions have finished dead last in rushing (2011 New York Giants).

From this point of view, Morton ran the ball probably 10 times too many against the Falcons on Sunday. Perhaps one more pass would have made all the difference in the world.

The only, I mean only gripe Forte could have with his OC is that the pattern of running the ball is entirely too predictable. Instead of running it on first down (which they do far too often), sneak a draw in there on third down at times.

Nonetheless, this offensive line isn’t talented enough to get it done on the ground.

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Robby Sabo is a co-founder, CEO and credentialed New York Jets content creator for Jets X-Factor - Jet X, which includes Sabo's Sessions (in-depth film breakdowns) and Sabo with the Jets. Host: Underdog Jets Podcast with Wayne Chrebet and Sabo Radio. Member: Pro Football Writers of America. Coach: Port Jervis (NY) High School. Washed up strong safety and 400M runner. SEO: XL Media. Founder: Elite Sports NY - ESNY (Sold in 2020). SEO: XL Media. Email: robby.sabo[at]jetsxfactor.com