The New England Patriots came out firing on all cylinders Monday night, putting together a dominant first half against the New York Giants and heading into the break with a commanding 30-7 lead. It was the kind of start that showcased sharp execution on both sides of the ball-precise offense, opportunistic defense, and explosive special teams. But not everything went according to plan.
Midway through the second quarter, the Patriots took a hit to their running back depth. Terrell Jennings, the third back in the rotation, exited the game with a head injury and was later ruled out for the remainder of the night.
Jennings had made his presence felt early. He opened the game with a 39-yard kickoff return, setting the tone with a burst that hinted at a big night ahead.
He was also on the field during Marcus Jones’ electric 94-yard punt return touchdown-a play that sent the crowd into a frenzy and helped the Patriots build their early cushion. But shortly after that return, Jennings was seen heading to the blue medical tent.
Moments later, he was escorted to the locker room and didn’t return.
With Jennings sidelined, New England leaned on its top two backs-Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson-to handle the rushing duties. On special teams, rookie Efton Chism stepped in to take over kickoff return responsibilities.
Jennings’ journey to this point has been anything but conventional. An undrafted free agent out of Florida A&M in 2024, he began the season on the Patriots’ practice squad.
But after Antonio Gibson suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 5, Jennings was promoted to the active roster. Since then, he’s carved out a role as a depth piece and special teams contributor, appearing in seven games this season.
His stat line includes 24 offensive touches for 82 yards and a touchdown, along with two kickoff returns totaling 59 yards.
While Jennings isn’t a headliner in the Patriots’ backfield, his versatility and explosiveness have quietly added value-especially in the return game. Losing him, even temporarily, forces the Patriots to reshuffle some of their special teams units and puts more on the plate of Stevenson and Henderson moving forward.
New England’s first-half performance was about as clean as it gets, but the Jennings injury serves as a reminder of how quickly depth can be tested in the NFL. As the Patriots look to build on this momentum, keeping their remaining backs healthy will be key-especially with the playoff picture still taking shape.