The Jets will be without their lead back on Sunday vs. Tampa Bay. Veteran Matt Forte will be held out due to swelling in his surgically repaired knee, according to Daniel Popper of the New York Daily News.
This is certainly poor timing for the 31 year-old, as he’s coming off his best game of the season by far, having rushed for 77 yards on 14 carries, which included two touchdowns in the team’s blowout victory over the division rival Bills last Thursday night.
This was the first time Forte eclipsed double-digit rush attempts all season long as backup running backs Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire have cut into the the 10-year veteran’s workload this season.
Both running backs will be in line for even more action on Sunday with Powell likely acting as the early down runner, while McGuire will probably see a slight expansion of his current role as a change-of-pace back, which he’s performed admirably in this season.
Still without Forte, the Jets will have to no choice but to rely on the arm of Josh McCown a little bit more, who’s actually been on of the league’s more pleasant surprises this season. The 38 year-old quarterback has found a nice rhythm with the offense, leading New York to a 4-5 record after the team was expected to finish as one of the worst offenses in football when the season started.
The outlook for his return is still up in the air at this point. However, Forte will fortunately have extra time to recover for the Jets next contest with the team having a bye in Week 10.