For New York Jets corner Sauce Gardner, the stage was perfect. His team entered the game 7-6 with a chance to significantly help their playoff chances. And he faced his hometown Detroit Lions, the team that passed over him in April's draft.

However, the ending for Gardner and the Jets wasn't out of some Hollywood production. The Lions found tight end Brock Wright on fourth and one after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter, and eventually won the game.

For Gardner more specifically, his growing reputation around the league must precede him. The Lions didn't target the standout Jets corner at all on Sunday. And that doesn't sit right with the Detroit native.

“I wasn’t targeted yesterday, not once,” Gardner said Monday, via the New York Post. “I don’t know what their mentality is or mindset is when they go up against us. Yesterday, I wasn’t targeting. I take 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.”

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The Jets rookie went on to explain that friends and family had called him prior to the showdown. He told those who called that he would get his first career pick-six against the Lions.

There was one interception in the game, but it was the Lions on the receiving end. Jets quarterback Zach Wilson lofted a ball intended for Elijah Moore, only for it to find the hands of Jerry Jacobs.

The Jets' loss on Sunday drops New York to 7-7 on the season. They are still in the playoff hunt, but will likely need to win out in order to make the postseason.