Tuesday is an off day from practice for Jets players. Some amble into the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center for treatment while others chill out at home, playing video games, taking it easy, spending time with family.
For second-year running back Breece Hall, who was one of the Jets' stars in Sunday's 30-6 victory over visiting Houston, the game controller is calling him. The game of choice: Madden NFL. And it's not a matter of being brash or boastful when Hall told Eric Allen on this week's edition of "The Official Jets Podcast" that he plays the game with the Jets as his preferred team, with No. 20 "getting at least 20 touches." Always.
"I'm going to run the ball until you stop it," Hall said. "I'm a pretty good OC myself. I have a custom playbook, run three or four formations and make all my adjustments out of each formation. If I need to make changes, I will.
"But Breece gets at least 20 touches, if I'm open [as a receiver] I give myself the ball all the time. If I pass, I like to pass it deep."
Back in the real world, Hall on Sunday fell one touch short of that magical 20 as he ran the ball 10 times for 40 yards and caught 9 passes (mostly checkdowns) from QB Zach Wilson for 86 yards, which included a 3-yard TD, and a team-high 27-yard ramble.
"I just want the ball no matter where you give me the ball," Hall said. He added: "They [the Texans' defense] were getting worried about me coming out of the backfield, but that was opening up things for G [Garrett Wilson] and Conk [TE Tyler Conklin]. The pass game opened up and it was good to see everybody contribute.
"I've never been a super power guy, my game is finesse, making guys miss. If I'm 1-on-1 I'm going to make you miss ,all the time. If we're in a small space and need the yards, I'm going to put my shoulder down. If you want to tackle me, you have to deal with the consequences."
Hall continues to perform with a surgically repaired knee after he sustained a season-ending injury last season at Denver that blew up what was shaping up to be a fantastic rookie season. Though he only played in seven games, Hall still finished as the team's leading rusher with 463 yards from 80 carries.
His long road back to the gridiron was chronicled in a documentary from 1JD Films that followed Hall as he experienced an arduous rehab.
"I think it was good for the guys to see how hard I worked to get back to help the team," he said. "I was here the whole offseason, me, AVT [Alijah Vera-Tucker] and Mekhi [Becton] in the training room everyday. It's just been a blessing, coming back and still looking the same.
"People can make all these assumptions, that I'm coming off an ACL and have lost a step. You can't pay attention to what other people say. You have to stay true to what you do right. It's been frustrating at times because I know I'm a top-3 running back in this league. I haven't always gotten to show it this season. I've shown flashes [like an 83-yard run against Buffalo, and then a 72-yard dash at Denver] and I feel I can do it on a 17-game basis. It's been tough this season, but I think everyone knows when I get the ball I can make plays and I know everyone respects that."
He added: "Coming off my knee, I've been surprised how I can stay consistent and healthy. I'm still getting stronger every week. I'm pretty much 95 percent, but getting stronger every week."
Hall acknowledged that the Jets' run game has been hampered this season by the churn on the offensive line, which saw the Jets trot out their ninth different combination up front over the past nine games. He, Dalvin Cook and now Izzy Abanikanda -- along with Z.Wilson at QB -- have had to adjust and roll with it this season.
In Sunday's game, when the Jets scored all 30 of their points in the second half, Z.Wilson led a surgical attack. He was back as the starter for the Green & White after watching as the team's No. 3, emergency QB the past two games.
"I probably have as much respect for him as anyone on the team," Hall said. "To see the way he's handled himself because of all the adversity, he's had the most ups and most downs. But he always stays level and to see his true love of the game and dedication to us, to see how competitive he is -- that's a real good dude there. I've gotten close to him over the last year, in meetings sitting next to him and joking around. We definitely have gained a good relationship.
"On Sunday, I sensed it early on [that Z.Wilson was playing fast and loose] seeing how well the O-line was playing and how much time and how confident he was."
Looking ahead to Sunday's return match at the Dolphins (9-4), who still lead the AFC East after Monday's loss to Tennessee, Hall is hoping for another "victory Tuesday" next week.
"I feel like we put our worst product out and they gave us all they got," Hall said, referring to the Jets' 34-13 loss on Black Friday. "I'm confident, but it's definitely going to be a dogfight."
