The Week 17 injury report tells two very different stories. One team has already locked in its playoff ticket, while the other is playing out the string with hard decisions looming. The New England Patriots face the New York Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium with playoff positioning on the line, but a pair of injury-related absences will shape the backup depth at two critical positions.

The Patriots’ running back TreVeyon Henderson hovers in limbo following concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in Week 16. Jets backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor has been cleared despite a lingering knee issue that sidelined him from Friday’s practice session.

For a playoff-bound Patriots team, the injury report lands like an unwanted plot twist. New England will be without multiple defensive pillars, including Harold Landry and Robert Spillane, stripping key bite from a unit heading into January.

Henderson is listed as questionable for Sunday’s kickoff at 1 p.m. ET after being designated with a concussion designation. The injury occurred during Week 16 against Baltimore, forcing his early exit from that contest. However, the progression through the week sent extremely encouraging signals about his status.

The RB participated in a limited capacity on Wednesday and Thursday, wearing a red non-contact jersey during those sessions, the standard protocol uniform that signals a player is advancing through NFL concussion evaluations.

The real breakthrough came Friday: Henderson shed the red non-contact jersey and participated in practice wearing a standard jersey. This jersey change indicates Henderson advanced significantly through the concussion protocol and is trending heavily toward availability for Sunday.

Tyrod Taylor’s Week 17 status and role seem clear. The report explains that Taylor was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday and Thursday with a knee issue, then marked as not practicing on Friday for “personal” reasons, but he ultimately carried no injury designation for Sunday and could be the Jets’ No. 2 quarterback against the Patriots.

Week 17 playoff implications: AFC East and No.1 seed scenarios

The Patriots enter Week 17 at 12-3 and visit the 3-12 Jets in a game that directly affects both the AFC East race and the conference seeding. The Jets have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but several outcomes are still possible for New England.

As per ESPN, New England can clinch the AFC East title in Week 17 if the team defeats the Jets and the Buffalo Bills lose to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Patriots remain in contention for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, but Denver holds a narrow edge at 13-3 after their comeback win over Kansas City in Week 17, while New England sits at 12-3. The Broncos currently own the tiebreaker via strength of victory.

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For the Patriots to claim the top spot, they must win their final two games, against the Jets in Week 17 and the Dolphins in Week 18, while Denver drops their Week 18 home matchup versus the Los Angeles Chargers.

With postseason stakes still alive, New England enters MetLife knowing Week 17 is more about positioning. Even while shorthanded defensively, the Patriots can steady the ship with Henderson trending toward availability and a Jets team already looking ahead. For a contender chasing the AFC East and a possible No. 1 seed, this will be an interesting road game for the in-form team.