Offensive line still remains an issue with the Jets

The New York Jets are two weeks into the season and yet offensive line issues remain. Will they be able to survive with key players out?

The weakest positional unit entering the 2016 season could get weaker for the New York Jets. Offensive lineman James Carpenter has yet to practice this week and things are looking grim for Sunday.

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The Jets have been rotating several guys at the left guard position in practice. According to head coach Todd Bowles that rotation might not stop on Sunday. Here is what he said, courtesy of the Media Relations Department of the Jets:

On who will start at left guard if Carpenter is out…

We’re rotating guys in and out right now. We’ll wait until Sunday to see that one.

On if those players being rotated are Wesley Johnson and Dakota Dozier…

A couple people going in. There’s about three of them.

On if he would rotate them in a game…

We can rotate them in a game, but it’s three of them going there. So we’ll see who picks it out.

The Jets are already without their starting right tackle from last season in Breno Giacomini for the first six weeks of the year. And they could be without Carpenter on Sunday, perhaps their best offensive linemen on the team.

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Many analysts and fans were surprised when Bowles followed through on his claims that the Jets would rotate linemen during the game.

But that’s exactly what he did through the first two weeks of the season at right tackle.

While we’ve heard of a running back by committee, a right tackle by committee isn’t as popular in today’s NFL.

Despite that, the Jets have had startling success with the tactic.

So far the Jets have only allowed two sacks on the season which is tied for second-best in the league. And it’s looking like the Jets will have to do that minus one of their most underrated stars.

With Carpenter questionable, the Jets will have to possibly utilize one of their bottom feeders. The problem is the alternatives don’t have a ton of experience, which isn’t a recipe for success.

The good news for the Jets is that the Kansas City Chiefs will be without their lead sack man in linebacker Justin Houston.

So in other words, let’s just call it even.

While early this season, the rest of the Chiefs’ defense haven’t picked up the slack. They’ve only accumulated three sacks on defense, which ranks 21st in the NFL.

While this isn’t just about protecting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, this could also severely impact the Jets’ running game. Which they’ve leaned on early and often so far in the first two weeks of the season.

On Sunday the Jets are going to need a healthy balanced offensive attack to pull out a gritty road win. The rotation at right tackle has worked out great so far.

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The success rate at juggling two key positions on the offensive line seems slim. But the Jets deserve a ton of credit for maximizing the talent that they have.