The New York Jets are 1-5 through six games and are coming off of an embarrassing Week 7 loss to the New England Patriots, so their chances of making the playoffs are pretty much cooked.

However, that doesn't mean they shouldn't be aiming to get better over the second half of the season.

One of the many areas in which the Jets really need to see improvement is the ground game.

New York signed Le'Veon Bell to a lucrative four-year deal over the offseason with the hope that he would provide the Jets with their best running back since Curtis Martin, and while he certainly is just that in terms of talent, the production hasn't been there.

Obviously, that is not all Bell's fault.

New York has played much of the season with a third-string quarterback in Luke Falk, and the offensive line has been an unmitigated disaster (let's not even get started on the situation with Kelechi Osemele).

As a result, defenses are stacking the box, and there really is no room for Bell to run.

This has led to Gang Green having the 30th-ranked rushing offense in the NFL, with Bell averaging a meager 3.3 yards per carry.

But that could change this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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There was a time when the Jaguars were feared as one of the top defenses in football, but now, Jacksonville's defensive unit is really mediocre, at best, and its run defense ranks just 22nd in the league.

If there were ever a time for Bell to break out and have a big game, this is it.

And I will say, Bell showed some encouraging signs during the blowout loss to the Patriots last week, carrying the ball 15 times for an efficient 70 yards. He caught just one pass, but the fact that he logged 4.7 yards per rush was a step in the right direction.

The Jets' offense is a complete dumpster fire right now, with Sam Darnold still getting his feet wet after returning from mono and the receiving corps looking very shaky and inconsistent.

This is where New York needs to lean on its best player in Bell and let him lead the offense.

I understand that Bell is no longer in a friendly environment like Pittsburgh's, where he had an elite quarterback and an elite wide receiver to take the pressure off of him (not to mention a stout offensive line), but he is one of the most talented backs in the league and is paid like it for a reason.

Bell needs to step up against Jacksonville to open up the Jets' offense and give Gang Green a chance.