New York Jets running back Breece Hall was one of the biggest reasons why they stunned the Buffalo Bills for a win in Week 1. Following Sunday’s blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Hall believes the defeat is partially due to his role in the offense.
Selected with the 36th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Hall was on a trajectory to win Offensive Rookie of the Year last season. He compiled 671 scrimmage yards in seven games with five total touchdowns, becoming a focal point of the Jets’ offense.
Related: Week 3 fantasy rankings and analysis
- Breece Hall stats 2023: 136 rushing yards on 14 carries, 9.71 yards per carry
However, the 6-foot-1 running back suffered a torn ACL on October 23, 2022. It sidelined him for the remainder of his rookie season and caused New York to ease him into action during training camp and into the regular season.
In the season-opening win, Hall accounted for 147 scrimmage yards on 11 touches. While his lack of conditioning coming off an ACL tear was apparent when defenders pulled him down short of the end zone on an 83-yard run, it was a positive sign that Hall’s explosiveness was still there.
In Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys, though, Hall only received four carries and didn’t record a reception on two targets. While he played a similar snap rate (31 percent vs. 34 percent), he wasn’t happy with the opportunities he was given in Week 2.
Speaking to reporters following Sunday’s game, Hall expressed displeasure with his involvement in the offense.
“I mean, I only had four touches. That’s why we struggled. But it is what it is. We just got down early today and kind of just abandoned the run. I feel like with any team that type of stuff happens, that’s how it is. You feel like you’ve got to get back in the game and stuff like that. It just slips away. So that’s what it was.”
New York Jets running back Breece Hall on his role in Week 2
There’s some merit to Hall’s frustration. While New York lost 30-10 to Dallas, it was a one-score game midway through the third quarter. Yet, the Jets abandoned the ground game early on Sunday and finished with Zach Wilson attempting 27 passes with five carries while the Jets’ leading running backs combined for eight carries.
- Breece Hall contract: $2.048 million cap hit (2023), $2.458 million cap hit (2024), $2.868 million cap hit (2025)
While the Jets’ coaching staff has expressed its confidence in Wilson, before and after Aaron Rodgers’ injury, his career track record suggests he’s not a starting-caliber quarterback. If New York is going to keep rolling with him and wants to have a shot at the playoffs, it will need to start feeding Hall the football a lot more moving forward.
