Now this is more like it. This is the Thomas Jones Jets fans everywhere thought they would see when the season began. Last week, against the Buffalo Bills, Jones carried just 22 times for 210 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort. His performance has garnered the attention of the pollsters at the NFL.com who have nominated him for one of the three Fedex Ground Player of the Week slots.

While his 210 yards is a little deceiving, (he got 135 of the yards on two carries) one should never begrudge a running back who can burst for runs of 71 and 64 yards in the same game. This sort of performance has been a long time in coming for Jones this season after a breakout 2008.

Last year Jones record arguably his best all around season. He rushed for 1,312 yards at a career high 4.5 yards per carry average while scoring 13 touchdowns, which is a career high in that area by a wide margin. He also scored a career high two touchdown passes, which may seem like an oddly small number until you realize that Jones had never caught a touchdown pass before coming to the Jets. With the Arizona Cardinals, the Tampa Bay Buccanneers and Chicago Bears Jones caught a total of 215 passes without ever finding the endzone. That included a 56 catch season in 2004.

Jones became a full time starting runningback in his fifth season overrall and first with the Bears when he carried 240 times for 948 yards. Since then he’s recorded four straight 1,000 yard seasons culminating in last year’s first pro bowl invitation.

That 1,000 yard season streak appeared to be in doubt before last week, as Jones ran for 107 yards in the season opener, but hadn’t been able to crest the 60 yard mark since. In fact, Jones hadn’t averaged more than 3.9 yards per carry since that opening day game. Then came one of the NFL’s worst rush defenses in the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills have been a favorite opponent for Jones over the course of his career, as he has the second most career yards against Buffalo, and averages more yards per game against just a handful of teams.

Jones’ outburst vaulted him into third in the AFC in rushing, and fifth in the NFL. Last year marked the first time a Jet had lead the AFC in rushing since Curtis Martin accomplished the feat in 2004.

Jones’ competition for the Player of the Week award are two backs who also had their best games of the season. Maurice Jones Drew earned a nomination after carrying 33 times for 133 yards. Both season highs. He also scored his sixth, seventh, and eigth rushing touchdowns on the young season while leading the Jacksonville Jaguars to their third win of the season.

The third candidate for the award is Carolina Panther Deangelo Williams. Williams held lead his team to their second straight win by carrying 30 times and topping the 100 yard mark for the first time this season (152) Williams also rushed for two touchdowns.

The fan voting for the award will go until Friday at 8 a.m. and the results for the Ground and Air Players of the Week will be announced on Friday evening. Jones has got some stiff competition, so Jets fans; vote early and often!

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