New England Patriots: Week 17 Wrap-up (New York Jets edition)
By Hal Bent
ELIJAH MCGUIRE:
The Jets running game was decimated this year by injuries.
Isaiah Crowell was acquired in free agency to be the lead back, but found his way to injured reserve after a mostly-disappointing season. Veteran third-down back Bilal Powell also ended up on injured reserve. That left the Jets with 2017 sixth-round draft pick Elijah McGuire as the healthiest and most experienced running back on their roster, and he earned the starting nod last Sunday for the team.
As a rookie in 2017, McGuire flashed explosive speed and decent hands coming out of the backfield, but New York was hesitant to play him much. He started 2018 on injured reserve due to a broken foot in training camp.
Over the 2018 season, McGuire averaged just 3.2 yards per rush in seven games in 2018 – although he did add an additional 17 receptions for 169 yards. He scored touchdowns in Weeks 14-16 for the Jets and played 85% of the snaps against Green Bay.
The Patriots mostly bottled him up on Sunday, holding him to a 2.3 rushing average on the day for a final stat line of 18 carries for just 41 yards. Like Roberts, it’s worth framing McGuire’s poor day in the context of a larger subpar game for the Jets overall, but with all the uncertainty surrounding this team at the running back position, he’s certainly a weapon Patriots fans should keep tabs on next season.