Mike Reiss
Wealthy Cimini
Wealthy Cimini
ESPN Employees Author
Wealthy Cimini is a workers author who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Wealthy has lined the Jets for over 30 years, becoming a member of ESPN in 2010. Wealthy additionally hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He beforehand was a beat author for the New York Every day Information and is a graduate of Syracuse College.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots rookie working again TreVeyon Henderson has made probably the most of his alternative, filling in for injured starter Rhamondre Stevenson, who has missed the previous three video games due to a toe damage. Henderson’s two landing runs and one receiving landing helped the Patriots to a 27-14 victory over the New York Jets on Thursday night time, sparking a query on whether or not he would possibly assume a bigger position when Stevenson returns.
The Patriots improved to 9-2 with the win, the very best document within the NFL, and received their eighth in a row.
Henderson grew to become the second rookie in Patriots historical past to have a number of dashing touchdowns in consecutive video games, becoming a member of Curtis Martin, who had a three-game streak and two-game streak in 1995.
Henderson additionally grew to become the primary rookie in Patriots historical past with 5 touchdowns in a two-game span. He’s the third rookie in Patriots historical past with three touchdowns in a recreation (together with playoffs), becoming a member of tight finish Rob Gronkowski (2010) and working again Sony Michel (2018).
Henderson, the thirty eighth select of Ohio State, has seen his taking part in time greater than double throughout the previous three weeks with Stevenson out. Henderson performed 51 snaps in every of the 2 video games main as much as Thursday night time, and, as soon as once more, he performed a majority of the snaps within the win over the Jets.
Listed below are crucial issues to know from Thursday night time for each groups:
What to make of the QB efficiency: Drake Maye settled right into a rhythm early, finishing his first 11 passes, the longest streak to start out a recreation in his profession. Maye, who was in full command, was efficient in opposition to the blitz, ending the primary half 5-of-5 for 41 yards and three first downs. Maye entered the sport finishing 69.1% of his passes in opposition to the blitz, rating third within the NFL. He completed the sport 25-of-34 for 281 yards and a landing. He was sacked solely as soon as.
Pattern to look at: The Patriots’ protection gave up an opening-drive landing for the sixth time this season, tying for probably the most within the NFL. In apply, coach Mike Vrabel has had assistant coach Ben McAdoo put collectively an offensive script as if he had been the opposing offensive coordinator, trying to organize the protection for opening drives in video games. However the protection is not constantly producing the specified outcomes.
Stat to know: The final time the Patriots received eight video games in a row was 2019, once they opened the season 8-0. — Mike Reiss
Subsequent recreation: at Cincinnati Bengals (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 23)
With a conflict chest of premium draft picks from blockbuster trades forward of final week’s deadline, the Jets can discover their quarterback of the longer term in 2026 or 2027. Or in order that they hope. Within the meantime, they need to endure seven extra video games of Justin Fields. Or Tyrod Taylor.
Does it matter?
Coach Aaron Glenn’s quarterback video games, the place he refuses every week to call his starter till recreation day, cannot camouflage the apparent: Week after week, the Jets’ passing assault is noncompetitive.
Taking part in with out large receiver Garrett Wilson, who was positioned on injured reserve Thursday due to a knee damage, Fields handed for under 116 yards on 15-for-26 effectivity. He prevented his fifth recreation with fewer than 100 passing yards due to late completions in rubbish time. You may’t win within the NFL with solely three cross completions longer than 9 air yards, and the Patriots softened their protection late within the recreation.
The Jets appeared nice on their opening possession, a run-heavy drive that lined 72 yards for a landing, however they hit a chronic chilly spell as soon as the Patriots adjusted. The Jets wanted Fields to provide by way of the air, and he did not, aside from a 22-yard landing to John Metchie III late within the third quarter.
Now, Glenn has a QB choice: Is it time to bench Fields?
Pattern to look at: It was a tough debut for large receiver Adonai Mitchell. Acquired from the Indianapolis Colts within the Sauce Gardner commerce, Mitchell dropped two passes. He had a step on Christian Gonzalez on a well-thrown deep ball however could not maintain on. The Jets’ passing assault is not ok to beat killer errors. Nonetheless, you will notice a whole lot of Mitchell for the rest of the season.
Largest gap within the recreation plan: The Jets blitzed lower than standard, placing a whole lot of stress on the patchwork secondary. It wasn’t fairly, as Maye handed for 284 yards and a landing. The Jets miss Gardner. His alternative, rookie Azareye’h Thomas (concussion), did not play, forcing third-stringer Qwan’tez Stiggers into the lineup. Brandon Stephens (pricey penalty, one TD allowed) and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (two penalties) each had tough nights.
Most shocking efficiency: Will McDonald IV, coming off a four-sack recreation, was held to no sacks and one quarterback stress. He was coping with a quad damage from final week.
Stat to know: As soon as once more, the Jets didn’t intercept a cross. That makes 10 straight video games with out an interception, and that ties the longest such streak in NFL historical past. The final group to not intercept an opponent’s cross in its first 10 video games of a season was the 2017 Raiders. — Wealthy Cimini
Subsequent recreation: at Baltimore Ravens (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 23)
