"Rex Ryan preached a two-pronged philosophy to help the Jets find their way during a pivotal five-week stretch that will determine their playoff fate:

1. Run the football

2. Protect the quarterback

Ryan will get back an important piece to help on both fronts against the Redskins on Sunday when veteran running back LaDainian Tomlinson returns from an MCL sprain that shelved him for two games. Tomlinson, the team's best pass protector in the backfield, may also see an increased workload down the stretch. Tomlinson, who spent the better part of a decade carrying the load for the Chargers, is relatively fresh after assuming the Jets' third-down role this season.

For a player who averaged 23.2 touches per game in the regular season for his first 10 years, Tomlinson has had a relatively light load so far, averaging 7.9 touches. His workload from a year ago has been significantly reduced. He has 71 touches through the team's first 11 games, a 64% reduction from the 196 touches he had at this point last season."