Jets CB Sauce Gardner miffed that he wasn't targeted by Lions
Sauce Gardner of the Jets looks on against the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Sauce Gardner was paid the ultimate respect as a cornerback on Sunday. The Lions didn’t throw at him once, and Gardner is not happy about it.
“I wasn’t targeted,” he said. “I took that kind of personal because I actually wanted to make a bigger and a better impact on the game, especially going against my hometown team.”
Gardner is from Detroit, and he spoke to some of his friends back home the day before the Jets lost to the Lions. The talented rookie told them he was going to do big things against Detroit.
“That made it kind of personal,” Gardner said. “I was saying I was going to get my first pick-6 against the Lions. I was going to do this. I was going to do that. But I didn’t get targeted, so I didn’t get the opportunity. I just wish we could have got that ‘dub’ yesterday.”
Gardner said it was hard to turn the page after the Jets lost on a 51-yard touchdown by tight end Brock Wright with 1:49 left, but they have to get ready to play Jacksonville on Thursday night.
“What just happened is going to eat us alive the whole week,” Gardner said. “It’s pretty hard. We’ve got to be mature adults and we’ve got to just focus on Jacksonville.”
Quinnen likely to play
Quincy Williams said his brother Quinnen, who missed Sunday’s game with a calf injury, is “in good spirits about playing Thursday.” Robert Saleh said Williams has a “better than 50-50” chance to return and the “arrow’s pointing up.”
Two-minute drill
Saleh expects Corey Davis (concussion), who missed Sunday’s game, to be cleared for Thursday . . . Zonovan Knight is dealing with an ankle issue, but Saleh thinks he’ll play . . . Denzel Mims (concussion protocol) likely will be out . . . Gardner, Quinnen Williams, special teams ace Justin Hardee and long snapper Thomas Hennessy led the AFC at their position in the fans’ Pro Bowl voting. The Pro Bowl roster will be announced Wednesday.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
