Who deserves more love on the New York Jets right now than running back Braelon Allen? Not many players. With Breece Hall sidelined, the former 2024 draft pick out of Wisconsin has stepped in and produced. I think his performance could pay off for this team long after Hall returns.

The numbers back it up. Over the last two weeks without Hall, Allen has been one of the most productive backs in the NFL, and it isn’t particularly close. It could bode well for the Jets who will head into New England without Breece Hall, yet again.

Braelon Allen’s numbers stack up with the NFL’s best

Connor Long highlighted Allen’s production over that two-week stretch, and it jumps off the page. Allen is averaging 4.6 yards per carry, which ranks 11th in the league. He has forced 11 missed tackles, second in the NFL and more than both Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. He has also ripped off six runs of 10-plus yards, which is tied for second.

That missed-tackle number is the one that stands out to me. Gibbs and Robinson are two of the most dynamic backs in football. Allen out-producing them in that category, even over a small sample, tells you he’s running with real purpose.

The highlight came against the Cleveland Browns last week. Allen ran for 116 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, a season high for the Jets backfield. That matters for a New York offense that hasn’t had much of a run game, outside of the Browns game and the Week 1 matchup with the Titans.

Now, the next test won’t be easy. The Patriots allow only 90 rushing yards per game, so it’s going to be a tough task for this offensive line and for Allen to get things going against New England.

Different style, same backfield

With that being said, Allen is a different type of running back than Hall. Ideally, the Jets would have both of them on the field, and they should be getting Hall back soon.

Allen is a much better runner between the tackles than Hall. He’s a bigger-bodied back who carries a lot of weight and physicality behind his pads. Hall, on the other hand, is far better in space and in the open field. He’s easily the more explosive player, period.

That contrast is exactly why Allen works so well as a complement. Each back covers for what the other doesn’t do as well.

Look, it has been tough for New York to play without Hall the past couple of weeks. The Jets won’t have him against the Patriots on Sunday, either. But I believe this stretch could be a blessing for the offense.

Why this could pay off for the Jets

Getting Allen into a rhythm now matters for later. When Hall comes back, he’ll more than likely get the majority of the carries, at least once he’s fully healthy. Still, having Allen playing with confidence and in a good headspace could be great for this team.

We saw how this works last season. The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl with Kenneth Walker as the lead back, but they really needed Zach Charbonnet in there as well to balance them out.

Make no mistake, I’m not saying the Jets are a Super Bowl team. I don’t believe that at all. What I do believe is that some of the best offenses in the league have two running backs they can lean on, each with a different play style.

The Jets have that with Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. Once Hall is back and Allen keeps running like this, New York will have one of the more complete backfields in the AFC. Opposing defenses are going to feel it.