Braelon Allen Seizes Lead-Back Role as Jets Force Turnovers in New England
Braelon Allen has emerged as the New York Jets’ primary ball carrier while Breece Hall has missed three games with a quad injury, and head coach Aaron Glenn said Monday that Allen has proven he can handle a heavy workload. “He is showing that he has the capability of being the bell cow, and it’s good to have another guy on our team,” Glenn said during his Monday morning press conference. Allen has taken on the starting role with authority over the past two weeks and helped stabilize the offense amid Hall’s absence.
Allen produced a strong showing in New England, gaining 78 yards on 17 carries (4.6 yards per attempt) and adding two receptions for 26 yards in the Jets’ 26-19 loss at Gillette Stadium. He had four runs of 10 or more yards in that game, giving him nine such runs over the past two weeks, a mark that joins Curtis Martin and Chris Ivory as the only Jets running backs with nine-plus 10-yard carries over a two-week span since 1991. Allen topped 100 yards from scrimmage in consecutive games and has 220 total yards over that span, ranking ninth in the NFL and fifth among running backs this season, the team reported.
The third-year back leads the Jets with 314 rushing yards on 74 carries and two touchdowns this season and has produced 41 carries for 194 yards (4.7 yards per carry) in the last two games, forcing 12 missed tackles in that span. Teammates praised Allen’s physical running and his willingness to trust the offensive line in traffic. Tight end Mason Taylor said Allen “stepped up in a major role” with Hall sidelined and highlighted his ball security and blocking.
On defense, the Jets emphasized forcing turnovers and came away with two of three Patriots fumbles in the game, both created by punchouts. Rookie edge David Bailey ripped the ball free from Patriots running back TreyVon Henderson and Jamien Sherwood recovered the loose ball on New England’s 36; Sherwood later chased down receiver DeMario Douglas, forced a fumble that safety Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered, and demonstrated the pursuit mentality the team is stressing. Safety Dane Belton said turnover creation is a priority, noting that limiting points and getting the ball back to the offense are the defense’s main focuses.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Braelon Allen has provided immediate production and physicality as the Jets’ interim lead back, and his recent two-game surge — including consecutive 100-yard scrimmage efforts and meaningful chunk plays — gives New York a reliable complement to Breece Hall when Hall returns. On the other side of the ball, David Bailey and Jamien Sherwood have supplied the sort of disruptive plays Aaron Glenn has demanded, converting punchouts into possessions and shifting momentum. If Allen maintains this level of efficiency and the defense continues to generate turnovers, the Jets will have clearer options in managing workloads and creating more possessions for the offense moving forward.