EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Jets gamers and coaches usually speak about how they will’t resort to finger-pointing, even when issues are at their worst — which they’re proper now.
There was a play late within the fourth quarter on Sunday, a protection bust that match completely in a season of distress and befuddlement. However that play was arrange by a call made on the opposite facet of the ball a couple of minutes earlier.
It felt like a recreation the Jets have been going to win. They stole momentum again initially of the second half, with a takeaway on a compelled fumble after which a Breece Corridor landing a couple of performs later. They went up 24-16 on a Kenny Yeboah landing reception early within the fourth quarter. The Colts reduce it to a two-point recreation, after which Aaron Rodgers labored the offense up the sector, killing the clock and getting them to the Colts’ 25-yard-line with 3:30 left. On fourth-and-2, Rodgers went to the road of scrimmage. Jets cornerback D.J. Reed thought they have been going to go for it. As an alternative, Rodgers tried to attract the Colts offsides. It didn’t work, so the Jets known as timeout. Anders Carlson transformed a 35-yard subject purpose. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich thought-about this a present of confidence in a Jets protection that, many occasions over the 2022 and ’23 seasons, did its job on the finish of video games.
“After we noticed the sector purpose group go on we have been all completely happy like: Let’s do what we do,” Reed mentioned. “The final three years, that’s what we did.”
That’s not what they did on Sunday. That is 2024.
On the second play of the drive, Anthony Richardson aired it out for Alec Pierce down the correct sideline. Cornerback Sauce Gardner handed the route off to security Jalen Mills, who was presupposed to be in place to stop Pierce from catching the ball, presumably even intercepting it. As an alternative, Pierce simply caught it, a 39-yard achieve.
On the finish of the play, Gardner ran over and pointed at Mills. Literal finger-pointing. Twice.
What a go by Anthony Richardson! @Colts are threatening 👀
📺: #INDvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/xTTdoEKmMs— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
“It’s a play that shouldn’t have occurred,” Gardner mentioned.
A couple of performs later, Richardson ran for a 4-yard landing. The Colts didn’t convert their two-point conversion but it surely didn’t matter. The Jets offense, with none timeouts, fumbled on the primary snap then killed the clock on second down. Rodgers was sacked on third down and the clock ran out. The Jets, in embarrassing style, misplaced one other recreation they need to have gained. Closing rating: 28-27. The Jets’ document: 3-8. The Jets’ season: within the toaster.
“It’s robust to course of,” Reed mentioned. “That’s what your play for. You wish to play significant soccer in November, December, January … We wish to stick collectively. We have now to stay collectively. The skin world goes to be pointing fingers — and understandably so — however the guys within the locker room, we’ve to stay collectively and I really feel like we’ve the correct character guys to try this.”
In what has was arguably essentially the most disappointing season in Jets historical past, it’s clear that even when the Jets have the correct character guys, they don’t have the correct guys.
The Jets are on the level of the season when their offense is being booed off the sector at their dwelling stadium within the first quarter. The purpose that, when followers do cheer, it’s usually in a mocking tone — like when, on Sunday, the Jets offense transformed its first first down simply as the primary half was about to finish, or when Gardner made a formidable deal with within the second quarter after struggling for weeks to get opponents on the bottom.
They have been supposed to mix a successful protection with one of many NFL’s biggest quarterbacks to turn out to be a bonafide playoff contender. As an alternative, since Robert Saleh was fired and changed by Ulbrich, the defensive coordinator, the protection has regarded like one of many NFL’s worst, permitting 26.2 factors per recreation, failing in fundamentals and crumbling in key moments.
“I’ve observed that,” Reed mentioned. “The final couple video games we haven’t performed to our customary on protection. We’ve given up touchdowns, or given up explosive performs. I can’t actually account for what it’s. Coach Ulbrich does have lots on his plate however he’s a grown man and he can deal with it. I simply suppose it comes right down to executing and taking part in our function. I really feel like we’re not executing, it doesn’t matter what we’re being advised to do, we’re simply not executing on the sector.”
GO DEEPER
What occurs if Jets proprietor Woody Johnson leaves for the Trump administration once more
And there’s the Rodgers a part of all of it. Earlier within the week, he was requested if he nonetheless deliberate on returning in 2025, as he stumbled to the tip of the worst season of his profession. He responded, tepidly: “Yeah, I believe so.”
Sunday’s displaying did nothing to make it really feel like Rodgers returning to the Jets can be a superb factor, for group or participant. The 40-year-old didn’t even surpass 100 passing yards till the third quarter. He’s regarded unwilling (or unable) to throw the ball down the sector, and his excuses for that — final week he mentioned the offensive line wants to dam for longer, Sunday he blamed his lack of deep throws on the Colts taking part in a two-high protection — aren’t fairly as much as snuff.
Over the past two weeks, Rodgers is 1 of 6 on passes thrown greater than 10 yards downfield, the one completion approaching a pleasant sideline throw to Xavier Gipson in Sunday’s fourth quarter. These moments have been few and much between, and the Jets offense has someway turn out to be much less explosive since buying and selling for Davante Adams. Rodgers completed Sunday with 184 yards on 29 go makes an attempt.
Ulbrich was requested if Rodgers’ reticence is holding the Jets offense again. He deflected in his response.
“We’ll take a tough take a look at the tape,” Ulbrich mentioned. “There’s a component to, in fact, harm goes to hamper anyone in most of these conditions, but it surely by no means comes down to at least one man. It comes right down to safety, receivers, working backs, the working recreation, all these issues. So, I do know Aaron would like to be taking part in higher, but it surely’s not simply him, it’s all of us.”
Free, every day NFL updates direct to your inbox.
Free, every day NFL updates direct to your inbox.
Signal Up
Rodgers merely doesn’t appear to be Rodgers anymore, even when nobody across the Jets group needs to confess it publicly.
“Yeah, I imply, it wasn’t my finest efficiency,” Rodgers mentioned. “I felt like I did a couple of good issues, however sadly on this recreation generally you need to decide and decide a facet and generally you decide the correct facet and generally you decide the unsuitable facet … It’s simply a type of bizarre issues. Generally you decide the correct facet and get fortunate and generally you don’t and you need to take a look at the rattling pill and see a man was open.”
He was requested about that kind of wrestle being one thing he hadn’t handled earlier than — he pushed again on the assertion.
“It occurs on a regular basis,” Rodgers mentioned. “It does occur on a regular basis, however generally you simply decide it proper and also you get on a roll and appear to choose it proper on a regular basis. Generally it’s a hunch. I’m going by progressions. Generally in these two conditions I’d’ve needed to have disregarded a development and simply belief the man as being open. Generally that hits, generally you want you’ll have simply stayed with the development. It’s the sweetness and the frustration of the sport.”
The Jets are 3-8. Their playoff hopes, if there are any, vary from one to 4 %, relying in your supply. There’s a lot to be annoyed about. And none of it’s fairly.
“It’s very onerous to fathom,” Reed mentioned. “I’m nonetheless processing it proper now.”
(Prime photograph: Al Bello / Getty Photographs)
