In a tightly contested game with the Tennessee Titans last Sunday that featured several momentum swings, Aaron Rodgers delivered when it was needed most.
The New York Jets quarterback went 5-for-5 for 60 yards on what became the game-winning drive. It included a beautiful 26-yard floater to star receiver Garrett Wilson, a third-and-1 conversion. The clutch plays late came on a day the Jets had no offensive rhythm early (seven points at halftime).
Jets rookie running back Braelon Allen couldn’t help but marvel at how Rodgers commanded the huddle down the stretch. How he took charge of the offense in spite of the external factors — the visiting crowd, the noise. How he was able to dial everybody in.
“You know you’re going to win the game. That’s what it comes down to,” Allen said. “He’s just like a conductor. He just drives right down the field with no problem.”
Coach Robert Saleh and Rodgers’ teammates exited Sunday’s win over the Titans raving about the calming presence the 40-year-old quarterback gives the Jets (1-1). With 19 seasons and counting under his belt, Rodgers has the track record of elite quarterback play that makes the franchise continue to believe he is the missing piece to Super Bowl contention. After losing the four-time MVP four snaps into his Jets debut last season due to his torn Achilles, the team entered 2024 with renewed hopes to end its 13-year playoff drought.
Rodgers feels that it’s important to be a calming force because, in pressure-filled situations, “people freak out.”
You can see it in the players’ eyes, he explained.
“It’s not just on game day, but every day,” Rodgers said of eliciting calmness with his team. “How do we stay loose and then be able to lock in when it’s time to lock in? Last year there were some negative vibes going at times, where we felt like ‘Here we go again’ or ‘We’re not going to win this one.’ I just don’t want us to ever get in that spot.
“So I think there’s ways of doing that. Some of that is through humor. Some of that is through stoicism. Some of it is through taking charge at times. You just kind of put your pulse on the team, on the energy and try to do the right thing as a leader.”
Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard, who played five seasons with Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers, explained that the 10-time Pro Bowler has a knack for knowing what his team needs at a given moment.
Sometimes, he’ll speak in a lower tone in the huddle even in loud road environments (“You kind of just focus a little more,” Lazard said). Other times, he’s screaming the play.
“I think he just has a little sixth sense to that,” Lazard told FOX Sports. “He’s played the game for 20 years in the NFL and everything, so he’s been in these situations more times than you can ever imagine. … To him, it’s just another day at the office.”
Jets beat TItans 24-17. Should New York relax?
That doesn’t mean the Jets don’t have their kinks to work out.
Through two weeks, they haven’t been able to get Wilson, their top receiver, enough touches. He has 10 catches, but on 17 targets. Rodgers’ 60.8% completion rate ranks 23rd of 32 qualified quarterbacks, one spot above struggling Denver Broncos rookie Bo Nix (59.7). Rodgers hasn’t been in sync with his receivers and appears to still be finding his footing post-Achilles injury.
It doesn’t help that the Jets haven’t run the ball well either, ranking 26th in total rushing (84.5 rushing yards per game), 21st in rushing yards per attempt (3.9) and 20th in expected points added through the run (0.25), according to Pro Football Reference.
All that has contributed to their inability to sustain drives. Their average drive time is 2:27, sixth-worst in the NFL. They’ve run the third-fewest plays in the league (106), even though they’re tied for 13th with 21 possessions.
With Rodgers and other weapons such as Wilson, star running back Breece Hall, tight end Tyler Conklin and veteran receiver Mike Williams, the Jets expect the offense to pick up.
“It’s a little inconsistent right now, which is to be expected,” Saleh said. “But at the same time, we know that every time we touch the ball we can score.”
Until they find that rhythm — if they find that rhythm — they can feel good about themselves.
With Rodgers, they have the belief they can close any game down the stretch.
“As you look at the game as it unfolds, the mindset of ‘We can score every drive’ is eventually going to take over this football team,” Saleh said. “Once that fully does take over, I think it’s going to be free flowing, and it’s going to look beautiful when it all comes together.
“And to have a guy like Aaron, that gives that calm presence at the quarterback position, it is priceless.”
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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