Like much of his team's 2019 season, things haven't gone according to plan for Jets running back Le'Veon Bell.
Brought in by the team's former front office led by then-general manager Mike Maccagnan, Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 million deal with the Jets this offseason after sitting out last season due to a contract dispute with the Steelers. The plan was a Bell-Sam Darnold one-two punch on the Jets offense.
Easier said than done so far.
Darnold ended up missing parts of the season due to mono and struggles from the Jets' offensive line, which was ranked as the 26th best O-line in the NFL in Pro Football Focus' mid-season rankings, have hindered Bell's ability to find any sort of success on the ground this year.
He admitted to The Post on Friday that the way the numbers currently sit, it's not going to be a good look for him.
"Obviously the stats are showing it," Bell said.
But the former All-Pro back added his main focus going forward is not going to be his numbers. Bell is focused on the scoreboard first, but he does believe his numbers will come with those victories.
"Right now we're focused on winning games. Stats are what they are. I know what type of player I am and what I can bring to the table. When we run more offensive plays, not hurt ourselves, and find ways to get everything going, I think everything will start coming back. I feel like it's going to come, and when it comes, I'll be ready," Bell said.
After Bell was frustrated at the amount of touches he got in a loss to the Jaguars, Jets head coach Adam Gase made a bit of a commitment to getting Bell the ball more this season, so there's reason to believe Bell could see an uptick in the coming weeks, in regard to his stats.
"We have to make sure he has touches," Gase said. "[The Jaguars game] was bad. That was on me."
Since that 11-touch outing, Bell has averaged 23.5 touches in the two games since. But overall, he's still averaging only 49.9 rushing yards per game this season. Far and away his career-low.
The 27-year-old has his work cut out for him and he'll look to start changing the narrative on Sunday during his team's Week 11 meeting with the Redskins. However, Bell is questionable to play at this time.
The Redskins sport the No. 28 run defense in the NFL, currently allowing 136 yards per game on the ground.