JETS LOSE STARTERS BREECE HALL AND ALIJAH VERA-TUCKER TO SEASON-ENDING INJURIES
New York Jets running back Breece Hall suffered a torn ACL injury during Sunday’s 16-9 win against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field and is out for the season, the team confirmed on Monday.
Usually, based on the physical exams by team doctors on the field, ACL injuries tend to be diagnosed correctly in the moment but reports suggest Hall did not initially think this was a major injury as he was not in a great deal of pain following the game. An MRI conducted on Monday morning however confirmed a torn ACL on the right knee and minor meniscus damage, common for ACL injuries. The Jets will therefore be without the second-round rookie for the remainder of the season. Furthermore, the team is also acquiring James Robinson via a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, as per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Jets will also look to run the ball more with second-year running back Michael Carter who took over from Hall on Sunday. Carter had a slow game, however, and only put up a meager 29 yards on 13 carries compared to Hall’s 72 rushing yards and a touchdown on 4 carries. The two running backs are close friends and Carter admitted it was a challenge to “get his head back in the game” after Hall went down.
“I do care about him a lot,” Carter said. “I had a prayer with him after the game, and I wish him the best, man. I’m praying for him. Continually.”
Hall went down in the first half on a two-yard run after he was tackled by Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain and needed help to get off the field and into the blue medical tent which was only 15 yards away. Hall thanked everyone that sent him messages on Twitter saying: “Appreciate the endless love and support! Another step along the journey. See y’all soon!”
Losing Hall is a massive blow for the New York Jets as he’s been a crucial piece to their success early in the season. The Jets are currently 5-2 with the former Iowa State Cyclone leading the team with 691 yards from scrimmage and five combined rushing and receiving touchdowns. No other player on the Jets has more than 400 yards and two touchdowns.
Making matters worse, New York also lost second-year offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker on Sunday after he suffered a torn triceps injury. The versatile lineman left the game late in the first half with what was initially reported to be an elbow injury but was confirmed on Monday as a torn triceps. Vera-Tucker has started at both right guard and left tackle this season but because of injuries was starting his third straight game at right tackle.
Jets left guard Laken Tomlinson spoke about the injury to Vera-Tucker and said: “It’s tough. And prayers to AVT. The kid is a hell of a player. Everything he’s sacrificed out there on the field, I mean it just sucks having him go down like that.” Vera-Tucker was replaced by former Bengals offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi on Sunday as the team deliberates on a final decision on who will be the starter going forward.
Jets wide receiver Corey Davis also left the game with a knee injury before halftime and did not return. Head coach Robert Saleh said Davis had been cleared and there’s no long-term concern about his injury. It, however, is still unclear when or how Davis was injured and when he’ll return to game action. Saleh confirmed on Monday that they’ll continue evaluating him over the course of the next few days and take it day by day.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jacob Wood.