NY Jets News: Injury report heading into Week 16

A win is a win as the NY Jets managed to walk out of Jerry World with a 19-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, keeping their playoff hopes alive. However, key injuries were sustained throughout the Week 15 match-up.

The Jets improve to 9-5 keeping their playoff hopes alive, while the Denver Broncos weren’t able to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers along with the Baltimore Ravens failing to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs of the fifth seed slot in the wild card race as the Jets are currently looking in from the outside. If the Jets, Chiefs, and Steelers all win out and finish 11-5, the Jets are unfortunately the odd team out.

However, there is still hope, if the Jets can win out the rest of the season and either the Chiefs, Broncos or Steelers can lose on of their two remaining games, the Jets are in. However, injuries were sustained during their latest victory in Arlington Texas, Saturday night. Eric Decker, David Harris and Dee Milliner all sustained injuries during Week 15.

Decker briefly entered the Jets locker room late in the first quarter with a left knee injury after catching a pass for a first down on a third down attempt. Decker would fortunately return to the field in the second quarter only missing three offensive plays.

Decker, besides Brandon Marshall, is the Jets biggest offensive threat when it comes to connecting with Ryan Fitzpatrick in the red zone. Due to his return to the game in Week 15, Decker’s status for Week 16 should be a good to go. He will most likely be limited during practice but I believe with the season hanging on by a thread, nothing will keep the wide out from playing the remaining two weeks of the season.

Harris, the heart and soul of that Jets dominant defense, sustained a back contusion during the first quarter. He was replaced by Erin Henderson and did not at all return to the field. Harris is the unquestionable leader of that Jets linebacker corps. The linebacker rarely ever leaves the field during games, the true definition of a solid, consistent and reliable athlete. When head coach Todd Bowles was asked about his linebackers status, he had this to say, courtesy of the Media Relations Department of the Jets”

“Without him, I don’t know where we’d be.”

Harris status for Week 16 against the division rival New England Patriots is uncertain at this very moment.

Milliner, who plays exclusively on special teams, suffered a hamstring injury sometime during the second quarter. He was ruled questionable to return. The former 1st-round draft pick out of the University of Alabama has been battling injuries since being drafted by the Jets in 2013.

The Jets corner has been on the injured reserve/designated to return list for the first eight weeks of the 2015 regular season with a wrist injury. He has not played a defensive snap at all this season sitting behind guys such as Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine, Marcus Williams and Dexter McDougle on the depth chart.

Other players worth mentioning are Jets wide out Marshall and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson. Marshall very briefly entered the Jets locker room but returned right away to play the remainder of the game. Wilkerson was shaken up on the field and was visited by the Jets medical staff, but I don’t believe Wilkerson’s situation along with Marshall’s will have any affect on their status for Week 16.

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With the Jets hosting the Patriots next Sunday, Gang Green will need as many healthy starters as they can possibly have. Each game from here on out are the most important of the season as they will ultimately decide whether the Jets are playoff bound or sofa bound. Like I said earlier, if the Jets can win out the rest of the season and either Kansas City, Denver or the Steelers can lose at least one game, the Jets are heading for their first playoff berth since 2010.

Anything is possible in the world of the NFL, as long as the Jets avoid making any mistakes from here on out and keep their winning streak alive, Gotham will be playoff bound once again.