“You play to win the game” except when you don’t.

It has been almost 22 years since Herm Edwards, the former head coach of the New York Jets, famously said those words. Much like the current team that fell 37-15 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night, the Jets now sit at 2-5, with their playoff dreams hanging by a thread.

If the 2024 Jets hope to replicate the success of the 2002 Jets, who soared toward an AFC East title (or at least a playoff spot), they face a challenging path ahead to avoid being the same old Jets.

It all begins with the one person everyone is focusing on: Aaron Rodgers.

The four-time MVP, who at 40 won’t be claiming a fifth this season, must cease searching for external solutions – especially after the team acquired wide receiver and close friend Davante Adams on Tuesday, along with linebacker Haason Reddick – and instead look inward. The Jets have now dropped four games in a row, and the root cause isn’t the fired coach Robert Saleh, kicker Greg Zuerlein, an injured defense, or the criticized wide receiver Mike Williams.

It’s Rodgers.

“I’ve got to improve my play, that’s the bottom line,” he confessed on Sunday.

“We simply don’t execute the basics well enough, and that includes me.”

To summarize:

▶ In Week 4, his renowned passing ability couldn’t counteract the conditions in East Rutherford, NJ, where a mere 11 points were needed to defeat the Denver Broncos, who managed only 186 total yards. “The weather was awful, but my throws weren’t great either,” Rodgers admitted.

▶ In Week 5, he matched a career low with three interceptions, including a devastating pick-six, and he missed numerous open receivers in a 23-17 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings in London.

▶ In Week 6, once again he threw an interception on his last pass, blaming it on Williams’ route running during the Jets’ first game after Saleh’s firing and the removal of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. In a close 23-20 loss to the injury-stricken Buffalo Bills, the Jets converted only 4 of 12 third downs and 1 of 4 in the red zone – critical areas where a quarterback of Rodgers’ caliber should uplift an offense.

Then the situation deteriorated further in Western Pennsylvania.

Adams was virtually invisible in the second half of his debut. The struggling defense couldn’t contain 35-year-old Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson, who was starting his first game in almost a year with a makeshift offensive line. The Jets’ rushing attack was once again absent, totaling just 54 yards.

However, the turning point came just before halftime, when the Jets were leading 15-6. With a little over a minute left, Rodgers attempted to connect on a deep pass to Garrett Wilson, who was engulfed by Pittsburgh defenders, but instead threw his first of two interceptions of the night, landing in the hands of undrafted rookie corner Beanie Bishop. Shortly afterward, Russell Wilson connected with George Pickens for a touchdown with 27 seconds left in the half, shifting the game’s entire momentum and sparking a 31-point onslaught from the Steelers.

“That was a poor throw,” Rodgers commented, acknowledging he’s on track for a career-worst 17 interceptions this season. “It completely changed the game’s energy.”

So, what happens next?

The Steelers stand at 5-2 at the top of the AFC North following their unconventional transition from Justin Fields to Wilson. The Jets don’t have a similar switch to consider – unlike the 2002 Jets, who benefited from moving from aging quarterback Vinny Testaverde to inexperienced Chad Pennington, which turned out to be a winning decision.

Rodgers isn’t about to suggest a switch to interim coach Jeff Ulbrich so the team can see what backup Tyrod Taylor can bring to an offense filled with talented players. In all fairness, it’s likely the team needs time to adjust to all the sudden changes before they start to succeed. The next four games (Patriots, Texans, Cardinals, Colts) before the Week 12 bye are definitely within reach – but they become a more significant challenge as they become almost essential to win.

“You must have individuals who can shift the culture amid the talented players steering things in the right direction,” Rodgers lamented.

Sadly, the culture seems to be stuck, as the team faces yet another season poised for their 56th consecutive year without a Super Bowl appearance and the NFL’s worst streak of 14 seasons without a playoff spot. It’s unfortunate, given that New York’s roster has more than enough talent to be playoff contenders.

“This season isn’t over,” Garrett Wilson declared, after his inability to secure a well-placed throw from Rodgers in the third quarter allowed for a deflection that ended in Bishop’s hands and led to a 41-yard return, quickly followed by another Pittsburgh touchdown.

“We still have everything in front of us. I feel like we have what we need here. It’s time to perform on Sundays, on game days, and ultimately, we must start winning games. That’s what it all comes down to.”

With a passionate leader like Edwards steering the ship, the majority of the accountability rests with the evident leader in the No. 8 jersey. He appears to have all the right insights during the week, yet consistently struggles to apply them during games on Sundays and Mondays.

He realizes that the time for complacency has passed, and it’s crucial to rejuvenate this J-E-T-S season with a straightforward message amidst the swirling doubts.

“We just need to win,” Rodgers stated as he made his way to the bus Sunday night.

“Starting this week.”

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