For the past two seasons, the message with the New York Jets rarely changed. If they could just get good quarterback play, they’d be contenders.
Aaron Rodgers was back in Week 1, and unlike last season, his season debut lasted more than four snaps. But it mostly looked like the same old story with the Jets.
Rodgers led an offense that had just one effective drive for the first 43 minutes of the game as the San Francisco 49ers took a 26-7 lead. He threw another touchdown later to Allen Lazard that saved his night a bit, not that it mattered much in the 32-19 loss. Rodgers finished 13-of-21 for 167 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Because it’s Rodgers and the Jets and everyone was watching Monday night, the overreactions will be fierce. But as someone once said, R-E-L-A-X. It’s one game, Rodgers wasn’t that bad and it wasn’t a great situation for his return either.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a relatively quiet game in his 2024 debut. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
It had been a really long time since Rodgers played a game that mattered, if you don’t count his four snaps from last season’s opener before he tore his Achilles. His last game with the Green Bay Packers was Jan. 8, 2023. But when Rodgers settled in for a strong first-quarter drive, he didn’t look like he was a 40-year-old quarterback coming off a major injury and hadn’t played even a handful of snaps in 20 months.
Rodgers’ connection with Garrett Wilson was apparent. When Rodgers completed 6 of 7 passes for 61 yards on his first scoring drive as a Jet, Wilson caught four of those balls for 46 yards. It looked really good. Then the 49ers’ defense started to dig in.
The one thing Rodgers has to prove is that he can still have some functional mobility. He won’t move in the pocket or run like he did with the Packers. If he’s a statue, that will be a challenge. When the 49ers started to get pressure on him in the second quarter, the offense stalled. New York had just 5…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-power-rankings-aaron-rodgers-wasnt-great-but-its-not-time-to-freak-out-about-the-jets-043048242.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-09-10 04:30:48
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