Breece Hall remains week to week with the quad injury that knocked him out in Week 3, and head coach Aaron Glenn said Wednesday the Jets running back will not practice as New York opens work for Sunday’s trip to the New England Patriots. A third straight absence is the clear trend, which again leaves the backfield to Braelon Allen.
“Breece, Dylan (Parham) and (Joseph) Ossai, all three of those guys, they won’t be practicing today, and again, they’ll be on a week-to-week basis,” Glenn told reporters after Wednesday’s walkthrough.
No practice since the Lions game
Hall has not practiced in any fashion since he hurt his right quad in the Week 3 loss to Detroit. The Jets ruled him out for the Chicago and Cleveland games, and Glenn’s Wednesday update did not open a path back for this week. Al Iannazzone reported that Hall remains week to week with no timeline attached, and Glenn’s comments left the impression he will miss Thursday and Friday work as well.
Hall shared the estimated non-participant list with receiver Adonai Mitchell (finger), edge Joseph Ossai (ankle) and guard Dylan Parham (knee). Mitchell remains week to week after a small finger procedure. Mitchell update. The club’s full Wednesday report also had Omar Cooper Jr. limited in his injured-reserve return window. Jets Wednesday report.
Allen has taken the lead role
With Hall inactive, Allen has become the clear lead back. Over the last two games he has 38 carries for 175 yards and a touchdown (4.6 yards per carry). Against Cleveland he posted a career-high 116 yards on 24 carries and scored the go-ahead 22-yard touchdown with 3:07 left in a 17–12 win, bouncing left on third-and-9 after a special-teams turnover set up a short field.
“That’s kind of when you’ve got to put your big boy pants on and everybody knows you’re going to run the ball so can you still do it,” Allen said after that game. Geno Smith called his performance outstanding and credited the offensive line for controlling the line of scrimmage in the rain at MetLife Stadium.
Allen’s two-week efficiency sits well ahead of Hall’s 3.2 yards per carry through the first three games. Isaiah Davis has rotated in for a handful of snaps, but Allen has carried the majority of the work. Even when Hall returns, the third-year back has made a case for a lasting share of the snaps.
What New England is preparing for
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel still talked about Hall’s career production — a career 4.5 yards per carry and the long touchdowns he has created when a defender takes a nap — while noting New York may get both backs healthy again at some point. For Sunday, the more immediate problem is Allen’s physical style after he just ran through Cleveland.
The Jets visit Gillette Stadium on Sunday, October 18, at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Thursday’s practice report will be the next checkpoint, but Glenn’s week-to-week label leaves Hall’s availability looking unlikely.
No published comments yet. Start the conversation.