This season was presupposed to be completely different for the Jets.
Gang Inexperienced got here into Sunday’s recreation in opposition to Jacksonville with a 3-10 report and losers of 4 straight.
However Sunday’s recreation was a glimpse of what many individuals anticipated the Jets to be after they have been picked to win the AFC East crown and contend for a Tremendous Bowl, particularly throughout the second half.
Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams’ play ignited the Jets’ offense within the second half, enabling them to carry on for a 32-25 victory in opposition to the Jaguars, which snapped a four-game shedding streak.
After the victory, followers weren’t the one ones questioning the place this explosive offense has been all season.
“It’s too little, too late, but it is special, it doesn’t taint it at all,” Rodgers mentioned concerning the efficiency. “It doesn’t steal any of the joy of it.
“It doesn’t take any of the fun that’s going to be on the bus and on the plane and we have another bus to get back to the facility. It is going to be special, and it is always special. This was a year of things where we were close, but we let it get away from us in the middle of the season.”
After Rodgers returned from the season-ending Achilles damage he suffered in Week 1 final season, many thought the Jets offense, together with their top-ranked protection, would problem the Chiefs within the AFC. Not solely has that not occurred, however the Jets offense appeared stale for many of this season.
That led to Jets proprietor Woody Johnson suggesting to the teaching employees that they bench Rodgers, who has suffered ankle, knee and hamstring accidents at varied factors throughout the season. This additionally led to Johnson firing coach Robert Saleh and later basic supervisor Joe Douglas.
However for the reason that bye week, Rodgers has appeared like a special participant. Not solely can he transfer across the pocket extra freely than he did the earlier 11 weeks, however Rodgers is displaying indicators of the participant the Jets believed they have been getting after they traded for him in April of 2023.
Towards the Jaguars, Rodgers completed 16-of-30 for 289 yards and three touchdowns. He additionally led the Jets in speeding with 45 yards on the bottom. In his final three video games, Rodgers is averaging 271 yards and has thrown for six touchdowns and only one interception.
“Just some good adjustments,” Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich mentioned. “Todd [Pass game coordinator Todd Downing] did an excellent job of really trying to figure out their coverage and took advantage of it in the second half.
“It was really a tale of two halves on both sides of the ball as far as making adjustments. We had a much better second half.”
Adams additionally appeared just like the participant who was as soon as thought of the very best receiver within the league in opposition to the Jaguars. The Jets traded for Adams on Oct. 15, hoping he could be the piece that might make the crew playoff contenders after starting the season 2-4. Nevertheless, there have been many ups and downs, together with questions concerning the crew’s vitality.
However on Sunday, Adams registered 9 receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns, all within the second half. As well as, he grew to become the twelfth participant in NFL historical past to report 100 receiving touchdowns.
“It was good to get in there, my teammates were gassing me up all week about it,” Adams mentioned about reaching 100 touchdowns. “I think they were more excited about it than I was which is obviously a great thing.”
In essential moments of the sport, Adams hauled in a 71-yard landing with 3:24 remaining and a 41-yard catch that arrange Breece Corridor‘s game-winning touchdown run with 1:05 left to play. Amid that, Adams made a freakiest catch along the sideline for a first down that was straight out of a video game.
“Historical, magical,” Ulbrich said about the Rodgers-Adams connection. “To get his 100th TD today, I feel honored to have seen it and to have been there for it.
“That was an amazing moment for those two guys. I have seen a lot of ball between them and a lot of touchdowns. So for them to get that was special.”
At this point, the Jets are playing for pride after being eliminated from playoff contention last weekend against the Dolphins. But they are also playing for possible jobs next season.
With a new regime coming during the offseason, the status of Rodgers and Adams remains up in the air. Rodgers has zero guaranteed money remaining on his deal following the 2024 season. If the Jets were to release him, they would have a $49 million salary cap hit.
Adams also has no guaranteed money remaining on his contract, so he will likely have to restructure it if he wants to stay with the Jets. He is scheduled to make $35.6 million in 2025.
The Jets could choose to start over fresh and rebuild from scratch. But as Rodgers and Adams continue showing signs of their glory days, they may decide to run it back in 2025.
Time will tell what Johnson and the Jets ultimately decide to do.
“In all honesty, I’m embracing this second proper now with this crew and this efficiency,” Ulbrich mentioned concerning the win. “It was unbelievable today, and we will take it at that.”
