EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Jets gamers and coaches typically 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 choice made on the opposite aspect of the ball a couple of minutes earlier.
It felt like a recreation the Jets have been going to win. They stole momentum again at the beginning of the second half, with a takeaway on a pressured fumble after which a Breece Corridor landing just a few 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 sphere, 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 referred to as timeout. Anders Carlson transformed a 35-yard subject purpose. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich thought of this a present of confidence in a Jets protection that, many instances over the 2022 and ’23 seasons, did its job on the finish of video games.
“Once we noticed the sphere purpose crew 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 proper sideline. Cornerback Sauce Gardner handed the route off to security Jalen Mills, who was alleged to be in place to stop Pierce from catching the ball, probably 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 move by Anthony Richardson! @Colts are threatening 👀
📺: #INDvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+📱: 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 nevertheless it 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 received. Ultimate rating: 28-27. The Jets’ report: 3-8. The Jets’ season: within the toaster.
“It’s robust to course of,” Reed mentioned. “That’s what your play for. You need to play significant soccer in November, December, January … We need to stick collectively. We’ve got to stay collectively. The skin world goes to be pointing fingers — and understandably so — however the guys within the locker room, we now have to stay collectively and I really feel like we now have the proper character guys to try this.”
In what has became arguably probably the most disappointing season in Jets historical past, it’s clear that even when the Jets have the proper character guys, they don’t have the proper guys.
The Jets are on the level of the season when their offense is being booed off the sphere 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 profitable protection with one of many NFL’s best quarterbacks to develop into a bonafide playoff contender. As an alternative, since Robert Saleh was fired and changed by Ulbrich, the defensive coordinator, the protection has appeared 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 quite a bit on his plate however he’s a grown man and he can deal with it. I simply suppose it comes all the way down to executing and enjoying our function. I really feel like we’re not executing, it doesn’t matter what we’re being instructed to do, we’re simply not executing on the sphere.”
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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 top of the worst season of his profession. He responded, tepidly: “Yeah, I believe so.”
Sunday’s exhibiting did nothing to make it really feel like Rodgers returning to the Jets could be a superb factor, for crew or participant. The 40-year-old didn’t even surpass 100 passing yards till the third quarter. He’s appeared unwilling (or unable) to throw the ball down the sphere, 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 enjoying a two-high protection — aren’t fairly as much as snuff.
During the last 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 one way or the other develop into much less explosive since buying and selling for Davante Adams. Rodgers completed Sunday with 184 yards on 29 move 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 have a look at the tape,” Ulbrich mentioned. “There’s a component to, in fact, damage goes to hamper anyone in these kind of conditions, nevertheless it by no means comes down to at least one man. It comes all the way down to safety, receivers, operating backs, the operating recreation, all these issues. So, I do know Aaron would like to be enjoying higher, nevertheless it’s not simply him, it’s all of us.”
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Rodgers merely doesn’t appear like 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 just a few good issues, however sadly on this recreation generally it’s a must to decide and decide a aspect and generally you decide the proper aspect and generally you decide the improper aspect … It’s simply a kind of bizarre issues. Generally you decide the proper aspect and get fortunate and generally you don’t and it’s a must to have a look at the rattling pill and see a man was open.”
He was requested about that form 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 select it proper on a regular basis. Generally it’s a hunch. I’m going by means of progressions. Generally in these two conditions I’d’ve needed to have ignored a development and simply belief the man as being open. Generally that hits, generally you would like you’ll have simply stayed with the development. It’s the wonder and the frustration of the sport.”
The Jets are 3-8. Their playoff hopes, if there are any, vary from one to 4 p.c, relying in your supply. There may be loads to be pissed off about. And none of it’s fairly.
“It’s very arduous to fathom,” Reed mentioned. “I’m nonetheless processing it proper now.”
(Prime photograph: Al Bello / Getty Photos)
