Adrian Murrell & the Jets blowout the Bears
Football teams usually take on the disposition of their head coach. Last year, the New York Jets were the laughing stock of the NFL finishing with a league-worst 1-15 record. This year, under the helm of Bill Parcells, the Jets are starting to mold into what Bill Parcells wants from his football team…run the ball and play tough defense.
On Sunday, Parcells’ team played to the image of their tough coach as they blew out the Chicago Bears, 27-7, at Soldier Field behind a strong defense and a physical running game to run their record to 7-4, already five games better than last year.
Adrian Murrell is a quintessential Bill Parcells running back…tough and physical. Murrell powered through the Bears’ defense for 134 yards on 29 carries on the day. He scored two touchdowns also from a yard and 37 yards out.
On defense, the Jets held the Bears to only 192 yards of total offense. Gang Green built a wall in the running game giving up 79 yards on the ground. Through the air, the Jets were relentless pressuring QB Eric Kramer. They sacked him three times and picked him off.
The only blemish on the Jets’ day was that QB Glenn Foley went down in the first half. Before he left, he was 9 of 13 for 59 yards. Fortunately, Neil O’Donnell was ready to go and he sprang into action. He was 11 of 18 with 132 yards and a TD in relief.
The Jets are just a game back of the AFC East leading New England Patriots and are right in the thick of the Wild Card race in the AFC. Next week, the Jets host the Minnesota Vikings, while the Bears (1-10) play on Thanksgiving against Detroit.
Great writeup! I remember watching this game like it was yesterday.