In a 27-14 loss to the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football, New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields showed his running ability early but saw fewer designed runs later. Coach Aaron Glenn explained the team wants to protect Fields from excessive hits. Fields expressed willingness to run if needed for team success.
The New York Jets opened their prime-time matchup against the New England Patriots with a strong 14-play, 72-yard touchdown drive. Justin Fields rushed five times for 28 yards on that series, including a 5-yard touchdown run, while throwing just twice. The Jets led early, but the momentum shifted as they went three-and-out on the next three drives, allowing the Patriots to take control.
Fields finished with six more rushes for 39 yards in the rest of the game, totaling 11 carries for 67 yards and one touchdown on the ground. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown through the air. The Patriots won 27-14, with running back TreVeyon Henderson scoring three touchdowns, matching Rob Gronkowski's rookie mark.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn defended the reduced use of Fields as a runner after the opening drive. "Well, the thing is we don't want to make it a habit of our quarterback just continuing to run because we can put him in harm's way," Glenn said. "I felt like if we get a fast start, we'll be in a good position. And Justin ran the ball quite a bit. The thing is, we, man, can't put Justin in a situation where that's a running back, and I think we all know that because we will put him in harm's way. You're right, he did a good job on some of those runs. We just have to be calculated when we do those things."
Fields, who completed below 60 percent of his passes for the fifth time in nine games, remained supportive. "Whatever I have to do to get this team as successful as can be and for us to reach our highest potential, I'm willing to do whatever," he said. "So if that's me running the ball, that's what it is."
Glenn noted some positive passes from Fields that weren't caught, including drops by wideout Adonai Mitchell. The Jets also placed wide receiver Garrett Wilson on injured reserve with a knee injury, sidelining him for at least four games. In contrast, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye excelled with accurate throws and pocket movement.