Aaron Rodgers may not be a miracle worker yet, but he could be exactly what the Jets need
This article has been updated with additional details.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The NFL’s oldest player made a dash to his left, leaving the fans once again in suspense. Aaron Rodgers slid onto MetLife Stadium’s turf – the same spot where his 2023 season ended abruptly after just four plays – to achieve a first down with a gain of 5 yards during the second play of the game.
“When he ran for the first time,” said running back Breece Hall, “I couldn’t help but chuckle inside. I thought, ‘He’s insane.'”
If winning the Super Bowl is salvation for Jets fans, then Thursday night served as a comforting reprieve. Rodgers returned to the field for the first time since suffering a devastating season-ending injury in his debut against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 11, 2023. He guided his team to a 24-3 victory over the New England Patriots, showcasing the skills of a quarterback capable of leading the Jets to the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons.
By the time the third quarter wrapped up, crowd chants switched from “J-E-T-S!” to “Aa-ron Rod-gers!” Once the game concluded, Rodgers hoped for a final defensive stop to savor the moments during the game’s final kneel-downs.
“It was an incredibly special night,” he expressed. “Those chants really hold a lot of significance.”
Rodgers opted out of carrying an American flag during the pregame introductions, as he had done the previous year. Instead, he bore the early-season aspirations of a franchise longing for a championship and delivered on them. He completed 27 out of 35 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns, successfully connecting on eight of his first nine passes to six receivers.
He indicated that carrying a flag was not on his agenda this time.
“Honestly, I felt a great sense of calm about the game,” the 40-year-old said. “I didn’t dwell too much on it. Coming back home for the first time since that day was definitely emotional, but I believe the first week helped diminish a lot of the fears and anxieties. I felt fairly carefree while playing on Thursday.”
“If winning is the expectation, then we ought to celebrate it, but winning should be our norm. The next step is to aim for dominance.”
During the second quarter’s opening play, facing pressure from the Patriots’ defense, he evaded the pocket to the left and found wide receiver Allen Lazard, who sprinted for an impressive 27-yard gain. According to Next Gen Stats, Rodgers completed 5-of-5 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown while on the run at over 8 mph.
Rodgers recognized he needs to gradually adjust his playing style, increasing his ability to extend plays as he reacclimatizes to the NFL speed. He felt good throughout warmups and during the game on Thursday.
“I felt like I was in my prime from a few years back,” he said.
Head coach Robert Saleh observed that Rodgers’ mobility evident in training camps was showcased for the audience on national television.
“He may not be at his peak anymore, but he still has a lot left in the tank,” Saleh commented. “His arm remains powerful and his mind is still sharp, but he was certainly impressive.”
Lazard secured the first touchdown of the game, outmaneuvering Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones at the line. Wanting to commemorate Rodgers’ first touchdown at home as a Jet, Lazard promptly brought the ball to Rodgers after scoring.
Lazard also gifted Rodgers his game-worn No. 10 jersey while keeping his gloves for himself.
“That’s something I’ll show my grandkids,” he remarked.
In the early moments, Rodgers was satisfied to let his receivers do the heavy lifting. He delivered passes at various angles with force, including a dart to Garrett Wilson on a crucial third-and-5 situation, which helped put the Jets near the red zone. He also threw a sidearm pass to Hall, who gained additional yards after the catch. Hall capped a 7:47 drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, increasing the home team’s lead to 14-0. A sideline exchange between Rodgers and Saleh drew attention on social media, but the two dismissed any related controversy post-game.
By halftime, the Jets notched 17 first downs, a remarkable improvement considering they averaged only 15.3 per game in 2023 while struggling with quarterbacks Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle, and Trevor Siemian during Rodgers’ absence. The Jets dominated the Patriots in yardage, 252 to 40, in the first half, and Rodgers finished the half with 15-of-20 passes for 170 yards. The Jets also converted on third downs at a 66.7% rate (10-for-15) for the game.
“Winning fixes a lot of issues,” said Lazard.
However, there’s definitely room for growth. Rodgers and Wilson struggled with their alignment and pre-snap motions just before halftime. They missed a couple of opportunities for connections on intermediate routes and had a handful of miscommunications on back-shoulder throws, but Rodgers eventually located Mike Williams early in the fourth quarter, which set up a field goal.
“Expect greatness; that’s the key thing,” Williams told YSL News Sports about collaborating with Rodgers. “When you’re out there with number eight, you have to be on your game. He holds everyone accountable, so we need to be prepared.”
A clear indication of a new era for Gang Green occurred on the first drive after halftime. The Jets mounted a drive lasting over seven minutes (7:10). Rodgers secured another first down early in the drive before throwing a pass on the run to Conklin for another first down. Even though the Jets burned two timeouts during this drive, Rodgers powered the blowout by connecting with Wilson for a touchdown pass that beat New England cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
“We certainly feel like we missed out on some plays and still won by three touchdowns, so I’m eager to get back to work and refine things,” Wilson commented.
Wilson was then asked if he reflected on his first two years in the league when the Jets’ struggling offense was a significant reason for their back-to-back 7-10 seasons.
“Yeah, I ain’t gonna ”
“Just pretend,” he joked, chuckling. “This is a fantastic chance for me and everyone in the receiving group, as well as all the skill players on offense, to enjoy ourselves, play the game we cherish, score points, and move up and down the field. That’s the essence of why we play this game. That’s what offense is all about. It’s electrifying.”
Later in the third quarter, Rodgers skillfully rolled to his left, adjusted his stance, and completed a pass to Conklin in the center of the field, all while being tackled by Patriots cornerback Alex Austin. In response, Rodgers quickly stood up, peering under Austin’s helmet.
“It was great to see him agile out there,” Hall remarked. “I honestly didn’t see that coming.”
The Jets had not enjoyed a 21-point lead over the Patriots since October 15, 2000, during Bill Belichick’s inaugural season in New England. They have also never had a quarterback of Rodgers’ caliber. They finally experienced just how enjoyable that could be.