The Jets and the Browns were locked in a 17-17 tie at the start of the fourth quarter Sunday at MetLife Stadium and the Green & White weren't in the most favorable position. But facing a second-and-17 at the Cleveland 42 yard-line, the Jets got the look they wanted and Justin Fields got the ball into the offense's most versatile playmaker – RB Breece Hall.
"They like to blitz the back a lot and either a linebacker or a safety will take the running back man," Hall said of the pressure the Browns brought on touchdown. "If the running back stays in, then he'll just add into the blitz as well. [OC Tanner Engstrand] called a play, and I knew I was getting the ball. Once I ran out there, I was like, 'Okay, I think if the right guard gets the blitzer, it's going to be a big one."
With Fields taking the snap in shotgun formation, Hall leaked out to the right flat. RG Joe Tippmann made a beeline for LB Carson Schwesinger and locked him up, LG John Simpson provided some cover with a block on DT Maliek Collins and Hall was off to the races. Well down the field, C Josh Myers made CB Denzel Ward a footnote and Hall finished with a long catch and mostly run.
"I was like, 'okay if Joe gets him, just gets a little piece of him, it's going to be a big play,'" Hall said. "I know Joe ended up being athletic enough to get out there and get a piece of him and we got guys blocking downfield which that springs a big run. That was cool to experience that with the whole team."
During the Jets' first seven games, Hall was kept out of the end zone. But he has accounted for 4 TDs in the fourth quarter — in the Jets' 39-38 win over Cincinnati (2 runs, 1 pass) and the score Sunday in the team's 27-20 win over the Browns.
Hall's touchdown reception Sunday was the longest catch by a Jets RB since Hall's 57-yard catch-and-run from Aaron Rodgers in Week 7 at Pittsburgh last season. And it was the longest TD reception by a Jets back since Hall had a 50-yarder in 2023 at the Giants.
Once he approached the end zone, Hall went airborne.
"I'm not really a big celebration guy," Hall said. "So I was like let me do a dive, a little like Dolphin dive and then get up and celebrate with guys, so it was good."
On a day the Jets were limited to 54 yards passing and lost star WR Garrett Wilson, who was returning from a two-game absence to a knee injury in the third quarter, it was clear Hall would again be the focal point. He rushed for 83 tough yards on 21 carries and provided the electricity with the game-winner from long distance. HC Aaron Glenn told Hall he was going to get the rock and Hall made Cleveland pay with its 13th consecutive road loss.
"He came to me and said I'm going to feed you," Hall said of Glenn. "You're going to be the biggest factor in this game, so just go be you. We ended up running the ball a lot in the second half and effectively and were able to get the win."
