Breece Hall feels another Jets season wasting away after fumble

The big hit delivered by Marist Liufau wasn’t the crunch that had Breece Hall feeling sullen Sunday after a noncompetitive loss to the Cowboys. 

It’s the time crunch that he feels as another season of his career fades into irrelevance with the Jets (0-5) all but eliminated from playoff contention. 

“I’m in my fourth year,” Hall said, “and I don’t have a lot of time left to prove what I want to do and who I can be in this league.” 

Hall had 155 yards from scrimmage and averaged 8.1 yards per carry, but his lost fumble going in for the potential tying touchdown late in the first half was the gasoline that turned a close game into a 37-22 blowout loss at MetLife Stadium. 

“Just a costly fumble from me, which is unacceptable,” Hall said. “Can’t shoot ourselves in the foot. As one of the best players on offense, I can’t put us in that situation.” 

Hall suffered a stinger on the hit by Liufau and was doubled over in pain but ultimately returned to the game in the second half. 

“I’ve never had [anything] feel like that in my arm before,” Hall said. “It was a great play by the defender. It’s always the guy you don’t see. I was stiff-arming somebody and a guy from the backside of the play came and punched the ball out.” 

Hall was responsible for six of the nine longest Jets gains (16 yards or more) in the game.

He had six carries of 10 yards or more. 

But he was focused on the fumble at the end of a 10-yard scamper and 69-yard drive. 

“I put it on myself,” Hall said. “I told my coach, ‘That turned into a 14-point swing real fast.’ I ain’t playing the blame game. I don’t have time to play the blame game. If I can’t protect the ball, I don’t need to be on the field. No time to make excuses.” 

With Braelon Allen on injured reserve for most of the rest of the season, Hall is expected to get the bulk of the carries.

In his walk year, he is playing to earn a new contract — with the Jets or someone else. 

It seemed like the Jets should have handed him the ball more than 14 times — or at least gotten him his first touchdown from the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter instead of throwing to fullback Andrew Beck — but Hall had no complaints about offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. 

The Cowboys were so worried about their run defense before the season that they insisted on tackle Kenny Clark being included in the Micah Parsons trade. 

“I’m with whatever Tanner is calling the plays,” Hall said. “He puts me in great spots all the time. He is continuing to build a relationship with me and trust me. For me, it hurts to cost the team points and put the ball on the ground. I’m confident it won’t happen again.”