Should Braelon Allen Get More Snaps In Jets' Offense?

New York Jets rookie running back Braelon Allen enjoyed a breakout performance in Sunday's 24-17 Week 2 victory over the Tennessee Titans. The former Badgers standout rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown via seven carries, averaging a team-high 4.7 yards per attempt. He also added 23 receiving yards and a second TD to his offensive totals. 

Allen was drafted to be a change-of-pace back to Breece Hall, and he needs to continue being involved in this Jets offense moving forward.

Allen was significantly more involved than he was in the Jets' Week 1 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers. In that 32-19 disappointment, Allen rushed once for eight yards. The Fond du Lac, Wisconsin native saw a single target as a receiver, converting that lone opportunity to a nine-yard reception. The fourth-round rookie more than doubled his snap count in Week 2, totaling 20 snaps compared to nine.

Allen's first touchdown was a well-designed screen that tied the contest at seven apiece. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers initially faked the screen to Breece Hall, who went in pre-snap motion to Rodgers' right before the QB came back to Allen on the left. The 235-pound ball-carrier is difficult to stop in the open field when allowed an opportunity to gather build-up steam.

Allen's second touchdown was the game-winner. The Jets were facing a 2nd-and-4 from Tennessee's 20-yard line with 4:37 remaining in a 17-17 ballgame. Allen took the carry from Rodgers and exploded toward the outside after Titans safety Amani Hooker took a poor tackling angle. The dual-threat playmaker became the youngest player to ever score two scrimmage touchdowns in single-game NFL history.

The advanced metrics paint an even prettier picture of Allen's effectiveness. He averaged 4.71 yards after contact per attempt, according to Pro Football Focus. Allen ranked fifth among all qualifying running backs (minimum seven carries) in that department across Week 2. Unbelievably, all 33 of his rushing yards occurred after contact. Contact balance was always among his best pre-draft traits, and it's already leading to impressive results at the next level.

Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett also mixed schemes when running Allen. Four of his rushing attempts occurred via the gap scheme, and the other three were zone-based approaches. Allen is already proving capable of executing multiple concepts seamlessly.

Allen also displayed the breakaway speed that was often mentioned as a concern throughout his pre-draft profile. Roughly 20 of Allen's 33 rushing yards happened because he broke away from Tennessee's hard-nosed defense, per PFF’s charting. That means 60.6% of his total rushing yards were self-created via breakaway opportunities.

The Jets have a difficult AFC East divisional matchup against the New England Patriots in Week 3. The Patriots enter Thursday's contest allowing a second-best 58 rushing yards per contest. A steady dose of Allen running downhill could break the dam.

Some questioned Jets general manager Joe Douglas when he drafted Allen with a fourth-round selection despite already rostering an elite back in Hall. Sunday's performance proved they're capable of co-existing. Allen adds something different to the Jets' offense, and Hackett should continue including him in his weekly game plan.