
Three sets of statistical trends, records, marks and highlights by the Jets following their 42-10 loss to the Patriots at MetLife Stadium on Sunday:
Gale-Force Breece
Breece Hall has shown so well this season that he even drew a compliment from a top Patriot after the game. "Breece is an amazing back," Pro Bowl CB Christian Gonzalez said. "Everybody knows what he brings to the Jets and what they do."
What Hall did Sunday was add to his statistical legacy in his fourth season in green and white. The 100-yard rushing game, 1,000-yard rushing season and 1,300 yards from scrimmage were noted Sunday, as was his 59-yard touchdown run at the top of the fourth quarter. But looking further into Hall's big plays, he also had a 21-yard reception in the first half. Those two plays gave him a team-leading 12 explosives (plays of 20-plus yards from scrimmage, by one definition) this season and 39 for his career.
That's already fifth-most among all Jets backs, trailing only Freeman McNeil (68), Curts Martin (67), Emerson Boozer (49) and Bill Mathis (49). And if we look at only those players' first four Jets seasons, Hall's 39 explosives trail only Martin's 41, and Curtis came to the Jets with pro experience after 3 seasons with New England.
Hall's 59-yard run achieved several other franchise distinctions. It tied him for the most 40-plus runs with McNeil and Martin at 7 apiece, while increasing his No. 1 totals in 40-plus scrimmage plays to 12 (Bruce Harper and McNeil have 9 each) and 50-plus YFS plays to 8 (McNeil's second with 6). Hall also broke his tie with Leon Washington for most career 40-plus TD runs (both had 3 before Sunday).
Breece Lightning indeed.
Title on the Line
The Jets' season finale at Buffalo will be their final game as visitors in the Orchard Park, NY, stadium variously known since 1973 as Rich Stadium, Ralph Wilson Stadium, New Era Field, Bills Stadium and Highmark Stadium before the Bills move to their new digs next season.
Besides Buffalo's playoff aspirations being on display for Sunday's 4:25 pm ET kickoff, at least one NFL statistical title appears to be on the line. The league's top 2, or make that top 3, kickoff returners will be vying for the top spot in the NFL record book under the heading of 2025 KO return average.
The leader is Buffalo's Ray Davis, averaging 30.7 yards on his 30 returns. No. 2 is Isaiah Williams, the fully redeemed Jet who's right behind Davis at 30.2 on 23 returns. Then there's versatile Jets RB Kene Nwangwu, whose 6 carries Sunday were not only a personal game high but also was just one more carry than his 5 career KO-return touchdowns.
Nwangwu has 18 returns, and to qualify for the leaders list, he'll need 1.25 returns for every team game or 22 total returns. Nwangwu had 3 returns vs. the Patriots. If he can muster 4 more at Buffalo, he may well be the '25 record holder. Nwangwu's average is 33.6, which, if we lower the qualifying bar to 10 returns, leads the NFL this week.
Fake, Fake, Fake, Fake
Actually the Jets tried only two fake punts vs. the Patriots. They converted the first when P Austin McNamara threw his first NFL pass for his first pro completion, to rookie safety/upback Malachi Moore, who made his first pro reception, a 3-yarder that converted fourth-and-2 from the Jets 43.
McNamara became the fifth consecutive punter to complete a pass for a successful fake punt at some point in his Jets tenure, following the path set by Ryan Quigley, Lachlan Edwards, Braden Mann and Thomas Morstead.
Four plays after A-Mac-to-Moore, the Jets tried another fake, this one on fourth-and-6 from the 50. The Patriots were ready this time, dropping RB Isaiah Davis for a 3-yard loss. While this play ended Jets streaks of 4 consecutive fake punts converted since last year and 8 of 9 converted since '22, it marked the first time the Jets attempted 2 fakes in the same game. In 2010 at Miami, P Steve Weatherford scooted 19 yards on fourth-and-6 and upback Brad Smith followed suit with a 12-yard run on fourth-and-3.
Check out the best photos of the Jets players wearing the NFL's Inspire Change gear as they celebrate the league's initiative that aims to reduce barriers to opportunity, particularly in communities of color, and showcase how the NFL family is working together to create positive change.







































