Marshall’s Knee Could Lead to Breakout for Jets’ Enunwa
Don’t lie. When you saw Brandon Marshall get awkwardly tackled during the first half of the Jets’ Week 2 game, you thought the worst. We all did. Marshall immediately grabbed at his knee and the collective Gang Green fan base immediately thought “ACL.” Marshall came out of the game only briefly and not only returned, but returned to produce in the game.
Marshall’s Current Status
While Marshall was able to play out the rest of the Bills game, he is definitely not at 100%. The team did not even bother giving Marshall an MRI on the knee, so no one feels it is a major injury. But watching the replay of that tackle and the way his knee twisted, it is hard to believe that a 32 year old athlete with as much wear and tear on his legs is not feeling some ill effects. Head coach Todd Bowles (unsurprisingly) has not confirmed or denied any aspect of Marshall’s status for Sunday’s game with the Chiefs.
Enunwa’s Star on the Rise
Even with receivers Marshall and Eric Decker having played in the first two weeks, it is actually Quincy Enunwa who leads the team with 13 receptions. Ryan Fitzpatrick has showed complete trust in looking his direction, often making him his first and only look on plays. Enunwa has repaid Fitzpatrick’s faith by turning 13 of his 14 targets into 146 yards and a TD. Standing at 6’2” and weighing 225 lbs., Enunwa’s Tight End build playing at slot receiver gives the Jets a presence in the middle of the field they have sorely missed. It also allows Decker and Marshall to play more on the outside, where they can expose one on one matchups. Should Marshall’s knee cause him to miss any time or this tweak lead to a different injury down the road, the Jets know they have another strong option in Enunwa who can take over the responsibility.
AROUND COVER32
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Emergence of a Third Option
Enunwa’s emergence as a third legitimate pass catching option has a bonus side effect; teams cannot afford to overload their coverage to just Marshall and Decker, freeing up the middle of the field for the Jets running attack to feast. While the fantasy stats of Marshall and Decker may take a small hit, their points are being added to those of Matt Forte and Enunwa. So while a fantasy owner may not like this new ripple to the Jets’ offense, the Jets sure do. A more balanced and diverse offense has more success in the long haul of an NFL season.
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