New England Patriots: Winners and losers Week 6 vs New York Jets

Mike Gillislee

With Dion Lewis playing well the past two weeks and seeing an increase in playing time, someone has to play fewer snaps. That someone is Mike Gillislee, whose arrow is pointing in the exact opposite direction of Lewis’.

Gillislee has seen his usage dropping as the season has worn on. After rushing for 114 yards on 33 carries, and scoring four touchdowns the first two games, Gillislee has received less and less work. In the three weeks following that, he received 12 carries each time and then received a season-low 10 carries against the Jets.

Gillislee’s drop in playing time can’t be blamed on anyone but himself. Yes, the offensive line hasn’t been great, but Gillislee is averaging only 3.7 yards per carry this season after averaging 5.7 yards per carry the last two seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He has not scored a touchdown since Week 2 and has yet to catch a pass this season.

What put Gillislee in the doghouse against the Jets was a fumble near the end of the first quarter. That got him stuck to the bench for 34 straight plays. It couldn’t have come at a worse time for Gillislee, whose stranglehold on the early down work for the Patriots offense is loose and he looks close to losing his grip altogether.

Gillislee was signed to help replace LeGarrette Blount and looked like he would replicate his success in the early going. However, the Patriots seem to be moving away from him in recent weeks. Will that trend continue?