“Not as of today,” he mentioned when requested about benching Aaron Rodgers.
On Monday, Rodgers’ forty first birthday, Ulbrich emphatically backed Rodgers and mentioned he would begin within the Jets’ Week 14 matchup at Miami.
“We have great belief in Aaron, we really do,” Ulbrich mentioned. “We think he gives us the best opportunity to win.
“After assessing yesterday’s game, I thought there were moments in the first half where you saw Aaron Rodgers. I thought there were moments even in the second half, you saw Aaron Rodgers. And then there are moments where he didn’t play to his standard and he would tell you the same.
“We believe he gives us the best opportunity to win, so he’s our quarterback.”
After not being on the harm report for the primary time since Week 4, the Jets and Rodgers had been optimistic getting into the sport towards the Seahawks. He has handled an ankle, a bruised knee, and a hamstring harm most of this season, however Rodgers suffered from the identical putrid play that has plagued him and the Jets your entire season.
Rodgers was inconsistent towards Seattle after lacking throws to Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson on a number of events. On a day that was stuffed with errors on either side and with a second-quarter 21-7 lead, Rodgers’ greatest mistake utterly modified the sport’s momentum.
Rodgers first missed a wide-open Wilson in the long run zone after which preceded to throw a pick-6 to ex-Jet defensive deal with Leonard Williams, who rumbled 92 yards for a landing and not using a Jets defender even getting near him. It was the longest pick-six by an NFL defensive lineman in NFL historical past, per ESPN Analysis.
Rodgers completed the sport 21-of-39 for 185 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Sunday marked the fifth time that Rodgers had an opportunity to drag out a win on the ultimate possession, and the Jets misplaced the sport. It’s one other blemish on what has been a canvas of catastrophe for the Jets, in a season which started with Tremendous Bowl aspirations.
“I think he’s an older guy, “doesn’t want to take big hits like that anymore,” Williams mentioned about Rodgers after the sport. “Sometimes, if you feel the guy coming full speed at him, he’s going to chuck it and duck. We had him in a situation where [coach] Mike [Macdonald] called a great call and it paid off.”
Sunday marked the third straight sport Rodgers has handed for beneath 200 passing yards and 35 straight beneath 300 yards. Ulbrich blamed Rodgers’ accidents for his poor performances.
“The games where he was truly healthy,” Ulbrich mentioned. “If you go back to the second Patriot game and this game, you start to see his mobility come back. Obviously, injury has a lot to do with what his numbers are this season. He has battled through a lot of things regardless of your age. What he has had, it’s something some guys in this league may not play with.
“He’s a tough guy and he feels a high level of accountability to his teammates, which is why he’s out there for us ever week. We believe as he gets healthier and his mobility starts to improve, you are going to see a better version of him.”
That raises the query: If Ulbrich and the Jets group believed Rodgers’ accidents had been holding the staff again, why didn’t they sit him down for just a few weeks to let him heal? Jets proprietor Woody Johnson instructed sitting Rodgers following the Jets misplaced to the Broncos in Week 4, in accordance with sources. Nonetheless, Johnson was ultimately talked out of it, and Rodgers continued to start out regardless of the accidents.
Now, with 5 video games remaining in what’s already a misplaced season, will the Jets ultimately shut Rodgers down for the season and go along with backup Tyrod Taylor?
It doesn’t matter what occurs from right here on out, the Jets will miss the playoffs for the 14th straight 12 months, the longest drought in North American sports activities. They’ll even have a dropping report for the ninth consecutive 12 months. And if the Jets lose one other sport this season, they’ll register their tenth double-digit dropping season of their final 13, together with the earlier 4 (2020-23).
When requested if Rodgers would stay the Jets’ beginning quarterback for the season or if his job can be assessed week to week, Ulbrich replied, “No, he’s our quarterback.”
