How the Oakland Raiders can limit Ryan Fitzpatrick
By Austin Gayle
Oct 25, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) hands the ball off to running back Chris Ivory (L) during the second half of a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Shut Down the Running Game
Though Fitzpatrick has done an amazing job keeping the Jets offense afloat throughout the first six games, his heightened production in comparison to his previous years in the NFL can almost directly be correlated to the success of his run game. When Ivory is rushing for nearly 100 yards every game, it takes the pressure off Fitzpatrick and doesn’t force him into being the volume passer we all know he can’t be.
According to ESPN Staff Writer Rich Cimini, Fitzpatrick is 10-39-1 as a starter when he attempts at least 31 passes in a game (1-1 with the Jets), while he is 26-18 when he throws less than 31 passes (3-0 with the Jets).
When Fitzpatrick is forced to throw the ball more than the Jets’ coaching wants him to, that is when the bad decisions and inaccurate throws start to turn into turnovers. Therefore, in order to stop Fitzpatrick Oakland must make an effort to stop the run, and in turn, force Fitzpatrick to win the game with his arm from inside the tackle box.
Luckily for Oakland, their defense has proven to be one of the top run defenses in the NFL, as they are allowing less than 85 yards per game and have forced opposing backs into a 3.7 yards per carry average.
According to ProFootballFocus.com, Mack and Smith are considered the No. 1 and No. 15 ranked run defenders in the NFL through seven weeks.
If Mangold isn’t able to suit up come Sunday the Jets’ run game will be negatively impacted, but, to make matters worse for the Jets, Ivory is still dealing with a hamstring injury that limited him in their game against New England.
Whether or not Ivory is limited in the running game, Oakland must force the ball into Fitzpatrick’s hands through stout run defense in order to capitalize on his inconsistency when throwing a high volume of passes.
Next: Fitzpatrick Gameplan: Take Away the Short Pass