Jets ignore run game after Chiefs ‘sped us up’ in second half of loss

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The great debate about how to split the carries between Breece Hall and Braelon Allen turned out not to matter as Frank Reich forgot about both of them in the second half.

Hall, who returned to the lineup after missing five games due to a quad injury, had 15 carries for 61 yards in the 35-12 loss to the Chiefs. Allen, who starred with Hall out, had eight carries for 33 yards and coughed up a costly fumble. But they each only had two carries in the second half as the Jets ran just four times after halftime.

“I think we went away from our bread and butter, which is running the ball,” Hall said. “I think they sped us up a little bit because they got out to a little bit of a lead.”

Reich, the offensive coordinator, probably will point to the score as the reason why they got away from the run, but it was only a nine-point game for most of the third quarter and then became a 16-point game near the end of the third.

Hall was asked if they should have called more runs.

“I just think they sped us up a little bit,” Hall said. “I think our play calling was fine. I think offensively everybody needed to take a deep breath and lock in and execute what’s being called.”

Allen actually had more snaps (36) than Hall (27). Hall had four receiving targets and three catches. Allen caught two passes on two targets.

“I think we just went off the flow of the game,” Hall said. “I think in the first half we had a very balanced attack and we were both running the ball very efficiently. In the second half, we kind of just got away from it. Sometimes that happens when you get down.”

The frustration was tangible in the Jets locker room after their fourth straight loss. Allen said the team needs to keep believing.

“We don’t really have any other choice,” Allen said. “What are we going to do? Pack it up and go home? Nah. We’ve got to [get] back in the building tomorrow and learn from it and get back on the field on Wednesday. We’re all here. We signed up for this. It’s our job at the end of the day. If we want to see different results, we have to make it happen.”