Frank Reich on Jets RB room: ‘We have the best 1-2 combo in the NFL’

Sunday's win against the Browns was a coming-out party for Jets running back Braelon Allen.

The third-year back had his best game as a pro, rushing for 116 yards on 24 carries and scoring a touchdown to help New York capture its second victory of the season. And that performance had OC Frank Reich gushing over the Jets' running back room, especially Allen, when speaking with the media Thursday.

"We have the best one-two combo in the NFL," Reich said. "Braelon is outstanding. Really smart. Has the explosive runs, that was the big thing last week. We had four explosives in the game, tied for the most in the year for us. And a lot of that was his running."

One of Allen's explosive runs was the game-winning score in the fourth quarter. With the Jets down 12-10, and in a third-and-nine situation on the Browns' 22-yard line, quarterback Geno Smith handed the ball to Allen, who scampered to the end zone relatively untouched.

Reich revealed that he actually called a pass on that play, but Smith checked it to a run after he recognized a hole in Cleveland's defense. And once Allen had the ball, the back did the rest with his ability.

"He's stereotyped as that big bruiser inside between the tackles. I don't see that at all," Reich said of Allen. "He's got good feet. He's a big man, but he's got quick feet. He's shifty, he's got good acceleration and good speed."

It's been tough sledding the first few seasons for Allen. In his rookie campaign, he rushed for 334 yards on 92 carries, while playing behind Breece Hall. Allen then suffered a knee injury that cut his 2025 season short after just four games. But this season, Allen is being used more and is already close to reaching career-highs in rushes and rushing yards.

A big part of that is Hall, the No. 1 in Reich's perceived combo, missed the last two games due to a quad injury and is still considered week-to-week ahead of the Jets' matchup with the Patriots. If that's the case, Allen will likely see the bulk of the carries, which Reich and the Jets are completely comfortable with.