Nobody is aware of what Aaron Rodgers goes to do subsequent season. Possibly he doesn’t. Off what we noticed when he was nonetheless a Jet, Rodgers typically ceaselessly acts as if his head is filled with sky when he doesn’t have a soccer in his fingers. However we certain do know this immediately: He has no less than yet another sport to play on Monday night time due to what he did final Sunday night time towards the Ravens, when he might have been trying on the finish of his profession if he didn’t present up within the second half.
And over these final thirty minutes, he did greater than merely present up. This grew to become one of many nice soccer moments Rodgers has ever had — actually since he left the Packers — and one of many nice dramas of your entire NFL season. For this one half of soccer when all of the seasons might have been on the road, Rodgers reminded you of what he was like in Inexperienced Bay when he was younger. At 42 he wasn’t all the things he had been, again when at his greatest he performed quarterback in addition to it might ever be performed. However he was shut sufficient. He was going to complete in first place the best way he used to in Inexperienced Bay. He was again within the playoffs.
It took a missed area objective from a younger Ravens kicker on the finish, after it regarded like a missed further level by Chris Boswell may cost Rodgers and the Steelers all the things. Rodgers did it with out his greatest receivers. However he flung the ball round the best way he used to and located a technique to win himself yet another Monday night time, this one within the Wild Card spherical. As he did all that, he reminded the Jets and their followers of one thing else: What may need been if he hadn’t torn his Achilles on one other Monday night time, Sept. 11 of 2023. Nobody will ever know for certain how that season may need performed out for the Jets, how a lot could be completely different now if he hadn’t gotten damage. Nobody will know if the ’23 Jets may need had the type of yr Rodgers and the Steelers simply had.
However it’s not simply loopy to suppose they could have, with Rodgers two years youthful and never doing what he’s doing in Pittsburgh, which suggests attempting to get away from the frenzy on that surgically rebuilt Achilles. We all know how a lot went improper with Rodgers, on and off the sector, after he did get damage. However once more: We’re allowed to surprise how proper issues may need gone, even for the Jets. Possibly Robert Saleh wouldn’t have gotten fired if Rodgers had remained upright in his first season in New York. Possibly the Jets wouldn’t be seeking to draft one other younger quarterback now that they’re again on the prime of the draft. Possibly they might even have ended a playoff drought that’s beginning to really feel as if it stretches all the best way again to Namath. And Rodgers may need ended up with yet another massive January sport right here, as an alternative of there.
After all he did nothing whereas he was right here to endear himself to not solely his fan base, however typically to his personal huge receivers. This isn’t about vaccines and Jimmy Kimmel and people Tuesday appearances with Pat McAfee the place he wandered all around the lot. This isn’t even about the best way it formally ended for him with the Jets, when the brand new coach, Aaron Glenn, had him fly throughout the nation simply to point out him the door.
That is about the best way he completely did present up final Sunday night time when it was all on the road for him, and for his group. And I can’t think about how even Jets followers who couldn’t wait to see him go might have been rooting towards him getting it executed; rooting for him to not get the sport that not solely acquired the Steelers this house sport towards the Texans, however acquired John Harbaugh fired.
He had executed so little within the first half. It regarded as if this was going to be such a foul ending for him, as painful because the one with the Jets, particularly after the best way the Steelers had misplaced to the Browns the week earlier than. Solely that wasn’t the best way the story ended, no less than for now. He wasn’t MVP Rodgers or Tremendous Bowl Rodgers. Nobody would say that he was. However late within the sport — late in THIS sport — he was shut sufficient.
Here’s what he mentioned in regards to the drive that ought to have received the sport for the Steelers and virtually didn’t:
“It was Joe Montana and Steve Young. And it was Michael Jordan,” he mentioned. “The dialog about these guys is there may be an unimaginable perception that when it’s the final seconds and MJ has the ball in his fingers, he’s going to make it. When it’s the ball on the 8-yard line, and also you want a landing to win the sport, Joe is making feedback about John Sweet up within the stands, and everybody type of has the assumption that they’re going to go down and rating.
“When you grow up reading about that stuff and want to emulate your idols you want to have that belief from your teammates. So when you get the ball with 2:20 left there isn’t a doubt in your mind that you’re going to go down and score.”
Rodgers needed to die somewhat when Boswell missed that time after. And doubtless died somewhat bit extra when the Tyler Loop area objective that may have despatched him house — perhaps for good — was within the air earlier than drifting huge proper. Loop, it’s best to know, was born simply 4 years earlier than Rodgers was a rookie with the Packers.
He by no means received the best way Jordan did. He by no means received the best way Montana did, 4 Tremendous Bowls with the 49ers, 4-0 report, 11 landing passes in these video games and no interceptions. He’ll most likely retire having received as many Tremendous Bowls as Younger did with the 49ers, which suggests one. The Tremendous Bowl he received — towards the Steelers — was 14 years in the past. Rodgers’ Packers by no means went again after that. However he nonetheless received 4 MVPs. Even 5 years in the past, when he was 37, Rodgers accomplished 70% of his passes and threw 48 landing passes towards simply 5 interceptions. He didn’t come near profitable the best way Tom Brady did. However at his greatest, his greatest was pretty much as good as Brady’s.
And when he needed to take one other group of his down the sector final Sunday night time, he did that. And did remind us in Pittsburgh what he as soon as was in Inexperienced Bay and who he was. After all the things Rodgers had executed in professional soccer over twenty years, all these Sundays, he acquired himself yet another Monday night time.
GOOD MOVE BY THE PHILLIES, GET READY FOR KIFFIN’S NEXT MOVE & HARBAUGH’S SUPER HURDLE …
Good for Donald Arthur Mattingly for going with the Phillies.
And good for the Phillies having the nice sense to rent him.
We discovered this week that an ICE officer might shoot any individual in the course of Portland Ave., Minneapolis and get away with it.
And anyone within the chattering class who can watch the video and are available to the conclusion that it was a righteous shoot by that ICE officer can be higher off attempting to clarify chilly fusion.
I really like folks nonetheless saying it was The System’s fault Lane Kiffin took the LSU job even whereas Ole Miss was preventing for a nationwide title.
Certain, it was.
Say it once more, from the balcony:
We will all simply begin marking time for when Kiffin bails out on his new group for one within the professionals.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
Oh wait.
That’s the massive fats dope’s line.
Here’s what Jimmy Dolan, Mr. Basketball, mentioned on the radio the opposite day:
“Getting to the Finals, we absolutely have to do. Winning the Finals, we should do.”
I’m simply form of questioning what occurs in the event that they don’t.
He fires Tom Thibodeau a second time?
Dolan additionally talked about how there must be extra “collaborating.”
Acquired it.
How about extra protection or extra ball motion?
Folks on tv now speak in regards to the switch portal in faculty soccer as if it’s the brand new nationwide pastime.
Wait, I’m confused.
If the Yankees don’t have a Plan B if Cody Bellinger leaves … why don’t they?
John Harbaugh can be a terrific rent for the Giants.
Or for anyone.
He’s acquired a Tremendous Bowl on his resume and the one different coach on the market on the lookout for a job who can say that’s Mike McCarthy, Rodgers’ outdated coach in Inexperienced Bay.
However would you wish to know what number of coaches within the Tremendous Bowl period have received Tremendous Bowls with completely different groups?
Not one.
And never ever.
Invoice Parcells took the Giants after which the Patriots to the massive sport, Andy Reid took the Eagles and the Chiefs, Don Shula was the Colts’ coach after they misplaced to Namath in Tremendous Bowl III.
There are others who coached in two.
However no Tremendous Bowl winner has ever gone elsewhere and received once more.
A minimum of, not but.
I just like the work Nick Sirianni has executed in Philly lots, however after permitting the Eagles to mainly take the week off towards the Commanders final Sunday, they higher beat the 49ers Sunday.
For over a half-century now we have learn and heard all of the speak in regards to the Jets want for a “New Namath,” an expression that they actually ought to have trademarked.
Now they’re arrange once more, approach up there within the draft, up there in Sam Darnoldville and Zach Wilsonville, and the followers desperately need them to draft their newest franchise quarterback.
There’s only one drawback with that:
It’s essential to have an precise franchise first, proper?
What, I can’t ask?
