Barring some late and sudden improvement, Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson will be forced to miss a game due to injury for the first time in his NFL career Sunday.
Richardson was listed as questionable on the official injury report for the trip to Houston to face the Texans, but did not practice for the third consecutive day Friday because of a hamstring injury.
Coach Todd Bowles did not sound optimistic when asked about Richardson, but said the star would be a “gametime decision.”
“We’ll see the morning before the game, then make a decision after that,” Bowles said.
The Jets are used to playing without Richardson, considering the former NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year missed four games due to a league suspension at the start of this season.
Richardson has been a force since coming back, recording 2.5 sacks, breaking up a pass and forcing a fumble in five games.
Ryan Fitzpatrick will start at quarterback Sunday despite having surgery on his non-throwing hand eight days ago, but Bowles said the biggest concern for both the team and quarterback will be mental, not physical.
“It’s not any better than it was before he got surgery as far as taking the pain,” Bowles said of Fitzpatrick. “He had surgery to get [physically] better, but the toleration of the pain will be the same.”
Bowles, though, said the amount of pain Fitzpatrick is dealing with is “significantly better” as the Jets prepare to fly to Houston.
“[The pain] is getting better by the day,” Bowles said.
While the Jets are 5-4 and on the cusp of the AFC playoff race after three losses in their last four games, Bowles bristled at the notion Sunday’s game is pivotal to their season.
“It’s not a crossroads,” Bowles said. “We’re just trying to win the ball game. That’s about the size of it. It’s not a crossroads, do-or-die type thing.”
Pro Football Focus listed its early candidates for NFL Rookie of the Year on Friday, and the Jets had to like what they saw.
The website rated Jets defensive tackle Leonard Williams the second-leading candidate for the award through the first 11 weeks, trailing only Bills cornerback Ronald Darby.
Williams, who some scouts considered the best player available in the entire draft but fell to the Jets with the sixth overall pick when several teams opted for offensive help instead, was also ranked by PFF ahead of Rams running back Todd Gurley and Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper.
Safety Dion Bailey (ankle) was the only Jet officially ruled out Friday, but the return of Calvin Pryor will cushion that blow.
Cornerback Buster Skrine (shoulder/hand) joined Richardson on the list of questionables for Sunday, although Skrine was able to practice on a limited basis Friday.