Now, Isaiah Crowell looks worthy of an endorsement deal. After rushing for zero yards in last week’s loss to Jacksonville, and embarrassing the franchise the…
Now, Isaiah Crowell looks worthy of an endorsement deal.
After rushing for zero yards in last week’s loss to Jacksonville, and embarrassing the franchise the week prior with his touchdown-wiping celebration — subsequently becoming a spokesman for a toilet-paper substitute product — Crowell stamped his name in Jets history. He rushed for a franchise-record 219 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries in Sunday’s 34-16 win over the Broncos.
Crowell’s 14.6 yards per carry was the highest rushing average in NFL history by a player with at least 15 attempts, according to Elias Sports Bureau, and marked just the third 200-yard rushing game in Jets history (Curtis Martin, Thomas Jones).
“It means a lot to me,” Crowell said. “I gotta give all the credit to the O-line. I can’t take the credit. Really, the holes were open. Anybody could’ve ran through them. It just happened to be me.
They really set the record.
“I felt like [offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates] basically committed to the run, and I feel like our O-line did their thing.”
The offensive line did a lot. Crowell made sure it meant something.
In Week 1, the Jets’ offseason signing became an early bargain, rushing for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries in a blowout win over the Lions. Against Denver, Crowell sparked another rout.
With the Jets trailing 7-0 early in the second quarter, Crowell ripped back momentum, bouncing a run outside and cutting back between multiple defenders en route to a 77-yard touchdown run. It was Crowell’s sixth 50-plus yard run since 2014 — and second in five games with the Jets — and the second longest in team history (Bruce Harper, 1983).
“When he breaks a long one like that it inspires the offensive line,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We got the running game going a little bit, and those guys got rolling.”
While Bilal Powell finished with 99 yards, Crowell had 112 by halftime, despite receiving just eight carries. On the first play of the second half, Crowell began sprinting toward history with a 54-yard run, becoming the first Jets player with multiple rushes of at least 50 yards in the same game since 2009 (Jones).
“He’s a tough guy,” Bowles said. “He’s quicker than you think. He has very good feet. He doesn’t say much, but his work ethic has been very good.”
In the previous three games, Crowell had rushed for a total of 69 yards.
“Nothing is going to be perfect,” Crowell said. “You have to stick together as a team, trust one another, and I feel like the sky is the limit.”
The sky now feels a little bit higher.
