The New England Patriots entered their Thursday night game against the New York Jets facing questions at the running back position. They were down Rhamondre Stevenson for a third straight game, plus Antonio
Gibson for the year with a torn ACL. Additionally, Terrell Jennings were questionable to play in the game because of a knee injury sustained four days earlier versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Even though Jennings was eventually made active for the game, and the team elevated D’Ernest Johnson from the practice squad for a third and final time, the bulk of the work was given to the group’s youngest member: second-round draft pick TreVeyon Henderson was a workhorse against the Jets.
Playing 59 of 67 snaps (88%), Henderson rarely left the field. The rookie finished the day with 19 carries for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and added five receptions for 31 yards and another score.
“It was a big time for him stepping up, and it’s been great for him to get all these reps, to keep getting these reps,” said quarterback Drake Maye after the game. “He wants to be great. He’s just showing up every day and asking questions. … I think just continuing for him to keep going the oncoming weeks and know that him and Mondre and our backs, we can create a good one-two thing going. Looking forward to have Mondre back, but TreVeyon stepped up huge.”
Here is our full snap count report from the Patriots’ 27-14 win at Gillette Stadium.
Offense
Total snaps: 67 | Time on the field: 31:02 | *denotes starter
QB Drake Maye* (67; 100%), LT Will Campbell* (67; 100%), LG Jared Wilson* (67; 100%), C Garrett Bradbury* (67; 100%), RG Mike Onwenu* (67; 100%), RT Morgan Moses* (67; 100%), TE Hunter Henry* (63; 94%), RB TreVeyon Henderson* (59; 88%), WR Mack Hollins* (57; 85%), WR Stefon Diggs* (46; 69%), WR Kyle Williams (45; 67%), FB/TE Jack Westover* (20; 30%), WR DeMario Douglas (19; 28%), OL/TE Ben Brown (12; 18%), RB D’Ernest Johnson (8; 12%), WR Efton Chism III (5; 7%), DT/FB Khyiris Tonga (1; 1%)
Besides TreVeyon Henderson, the Patriots also relied heavily on tight end Hunter Henry against the Jets. With fellow TE Austin Hooper inactive, Henry played all but four snaps — his highest playing time share of the season.
To make up for Hooper’s absence, the team also added Ben Brown to the mix. Typically a backup offensive lineman, Brown played 12 snaps as a blocking tight end both on the left and the right end of the line. Also again part of the offense, albeit in limited fashion, was defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga: he played one snap as a fullback. The final piece of the puzzle was fullback Jack Westover, who got the start and ended up playing 20 snaps.
At wide receiver, New England once again gave Kyle Williams prominent snaps to help replace the injured Kayshon Boutte. However, the third-round rookie had a limited impact and was not on the same page as quarterback Drake Maye on multiple occasions.
Defense
Total snaps: 57 | Time on the field: 27:02 | *denotes starter
LB Robert Spillane* (57; 100%), CB Christian Gonzalez* (57; 100%), CB Carlton Davis III* (57; 100%), S Jaylinn Hawkins* (57; 100%), S Craig Woodson* (54; 94%), DT Christian Barmore* (46; 81%), ED Harold Landry III* (42; 74%), ED K’Lavon Chaisson* (38; 67%), CB Marcus Jones (38; 67%), DT Cory Durden (34; 60%), DT Khyiris Tonga* (31; 54%), LB Jack Gibbens (29; 51%), LB Jahlani Tavai* (21; 37%), ED Elijah Ponder (16; 28%), DT Eric Gregory (15; 26%), ED Anfernee Jennings (15; 26%), S Dell Pettus (9; 16%), DT Milton Williams* (8; 14%), ED Caleb Murphy (1; 2%), LB Marte Mapu (1; 2%), S Brenden Schooler (1; 2%)
The Patriots lost one of their best defenders, tackle Milton Williams, to a sprained ankle early in the game. In order to replace him, they gave Christian Barmore 46 snaps — a season-high of 81% for the fifth-year lineman. Meanwhile, Cory Durden served as the DT alongside him, setting his own season and career marks at a 60% playing time share.
Also doing so was rookie outside linebacker Elijah Ponder, who registered a sack in his 16 snaps and together with Anfernee Jennings allowed starters Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson to take a breather. Those breathers seem very much necessary considering that Landry and Chaisson entered Week 11 having played almost 80% and 70%, respectively, of New England’s defensive snaps so far this season.
In the secondary, the Patriots relied on the usual quintet of players — Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, Marcus Jones, Jaylinn Hawkins, Craig Woodson — with Dell Pettus also taking the field for nine snaps as a third safety. The second-year man registered a key pass breakup on a fourth down late in the contest.
Special teams
Total snaps: 25 | Time on the field: 1:56
LB Jahlani Tavai (19; 76%), S Brenden Schooler (19; 76%), LB Darius Harris (18; 72%), CB Alex Austin (16; 64%), S Dell Pettus (16; 64%), ED Elijah Ponder (15; 60%), ED Caleb Murphy (14; 56%), CB Charles Woods (14; 56%), ED Anfernee Jennings (12; 48%), LB/PP Marte Mapu (12; 48%), K Andy Borregales (12; 48%), DT Cory Durden (10; 40%), P/H Bryce Baringer (9; 36%), LS Julian Ashby (9; 36%), FB Jack Westover (7; 28%), ED K’Lavon Chaisson (7; 28%), WR/KR Efton Chism III (6; 24%), OL Jared Wilson (6; 24%), OL Mike Onwenu (6; 24%), OT Morgan Moses (6; 24%), OT Vederian Lowe (6; 24%), OT Marcus Bryant (6; 24%), OL Ben Brown (6; 24%), DT Khyiris Tonga (6; 24%), CB/PR Marcus Jones (5; 20%), DT Christian Barmore (4; 16%), DT Eric Gregory (4; 16%), S Jaylinn Hawkins (3; 12%), LB Robert Spillane (2; 8%)
The Patriots used a linebacker-heavy “core four” against New York, with Jahlani Tavai, Darius Harris, Elijah Ponder and Caleb Murphy all part of every kickoff and punt return and coverage team. The only other player in that category was captain Brenden Schooler.
With Harris now on the practice squad injured reserve, however, the Patriots will need to adapt. Maybe getting Christian Elliss back on defense will create extra resources; either Elliss himself or his replacement on defense — Jack Gibbens — could see increased special teams snaps moving forward.
Did not play
QB Joshua Dobbs, S John Saunders Jr, RB Terrell Jennings
The Patriots had 48 players on their game day roster, but they only used 45 of them against the Jets. Backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs remained on the sidelines throughout the night, with the aforementioned Terrell Jennings and safety John Saunders Jr. joining him.
Since then, Saunders Jr. has been waived by the Patriots.
Inactive
WR Kayshon Boutte, QB3 Tommy DeVito, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, LB Christian Elliss, OT Caedan Wallace, TE Austin Hooper, DT Joshua Farmer
The Patriots’ inactives list for their second prime time game of the year featured some prominent names, including running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe), wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring), tight end Austin Hooper (concussion) and linebacker Christian Elliss (hip). Joining them on the list was rookie defensive tackle Joshua Farmer, who was kept out of the game because of an ankle ailment, as well as a pair of healthy scratches.
