Two of the Jets' second-year stars have already started to show frustration after just one loss.
Breece Hall appeared to express discontent for receiving just four carries in a reportedly now-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, while cornerback Sauce Gardner deactivated his account on the social media platform following their 30-10 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday.
According to screenshots of Hall's post, he typed four football emojis - which matches the number of carries he received - and added three dots at the end.
Hall, who is on a snap count while continuing to recover from his season-ending ACL injury in 2022, also reiterated a similar sentiment to reporters postgame, saying the Jets struggled because he "only got four touches."
Quarterback Zach Wilson was the Jets' leading rusher with 36 yards.
Hall's carries led to nine yards, while Dalvin Cook totaled four carries for seven yards.
"But it is what it is," Hall said. "I think we just got down early today and kind of just abandoned the run. I feel like, with any team, that kind of stuff happens. That's just how it is; you feel like you have to get back in the game. It just slips away."
Hall played 17 snaps in the Jets' Week 1 victory against the Bills, rushing for 127 yards on 10 attempts.
Head coach Robert Saleh said Friday that the Jets would gradually continue to increase his carries, while Hall joked that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett would try to fit in a few additional touches for him, too.
That wasn't the case Sunday.
The Jets' offense struggled in their first game without Aaron Rodgers, as Wilson managed just one touchdown pass, but even when their defense had an opportunity to contribute points, the Jets couldn't capitalize on that chance.
Gardner dropped what could have been a pick-six in the second quarter.
"I was just thinking too much about scoring and staying in bounds, not looking the ball in to catch it," Gardner said. "That's all."
Those frustrations boiled over postgame.
According to screenshots on X, Gardner responded to an account that attributed CeeDee Lamb's entire statline - 11 catches, 143 yards - to porous defense from the 2022 first-round pick, even though that wasn't accurate.
"Damn y'all really love sayin my name on this app lol," Gardner wrote, before later appearing to deactivate his account. "He didn't catch a ball on me today. Source: Me."
Gardner had been critical of his Week 1 performance against the Bills, calling it an “average” game despite the limited catches and yards he allowed to his matchups - including when he defended No. 1 wideout Stefon Diggs.
"He is his toughest critic," Saleh said about Gardner on Friday, "so that is a good thing."
Gardner turned into his most supportive advocate just two days later. And it ended with him leaving X altogether.
Jets DE Will McDonald, the team's 2023 first-round pick, was a surprise inactive for the game.
McDonald was a healthy scratch, a victim of the Jets having such a crowded defensive line room. Carl Lawson, who was inactive last week, was active for this game over McDonald.
"Can't dress them all," Jets coach Robert Saleh said. "Had an opportunity to get Carl up. Felt like they were going to run the ball a little bit today. With their offensive line, just wanted to get a little bit meatier."
Jets WR Garrett Wilson had a huge 68-yard touchdown catch but only one other catch in the game.
He tipped his cap to Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs after the game.
"And for me to get to go up against him and see where I stack up, he got the best of me today," Wilson said. "And the way I feel about it is I'm going to take it back to the lab and build on that. But yeah, man, he got the best of me today. Great player. And as a whole they did. They got the best of us, and it's our job to make sure that doesn't happen again, wherever it may be."
Jets DE Will McDonald, the team's 2023 first-round pick, was a surprise inactive for the game. McDonald was a healthy scratch, a victim of the Jets having such a crowded defensive line room. Carl Lawson, who was inactive last week, was active for this game over McDonald.
"Can't dress them all," Jets coach Robert Saleh said. "Had an opportunity to get Carl up. Felt like they were going to run the ball a little bit today. With their offensive line, just wanted to get a little bit meatier."
S Tony Adams (hamstring) left the game in the second quarter. CB Michael Carter II (elbow) also exited, but Saleh said he could have returned. LB Quincy Williams was being evaluated for a knee injury after the game but was walking fine in the locker room.
- Additional reporting by Brian Costello
