Bilal Powell Emerging in Passing Game; Questionable Sunday

Bilal Powell did not practice all week for the Jets and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with an ankle injury.

The Jets have to be hoping he will be able to go because he has emerged in the passing game. In many ways, he has been part of the Jets finding their offensive identity since his Week 11 return from another ankle injury.

Over the past six weeks, the Jets have thrown the ball 283 times after throwing 284 times, an almost equal amount in the first nine games of the season.

Early in the year, the Jets were heavily concentrating their targets to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. 57% of the targets in the first nine games were in their direction. That number is down to 42% over the last six weeks since Powell's return.

One of the themes in the early season was finding a third target in the passing game. Jeremy Kerley was third on the team in targets, and his play was sporadic. There were long stretches where he didn't factor into the gameplan.

The question was who would step up and become that third option. Would Kerley get more playing time? Would Devin Smith emerge in the second half? Would a tight end pick up the pace? The answer is Powell has elevated his game.

He has gotten 44 targets over the past six games, third most on the team behind Marshall and Decker. He has turned that into 32 catches for 299 yards and 2 touchdowns. If you project those out to a full 16 game season, Powell since his return has been on an 85 catch, 797 yard, 5 touchdown pace. That is very solid for a third option.

If Powell cannot go, it would hurt.  The Jets have gotten more out of Quincy Enunwa and Kenbrell Thompkins lately. They might need to step up.

The injury report below tells you players other than Powell who are banged up.

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