Aaron Rodgers wants to make it clear that he now has two wins as the quarterback of the New York Jets, even though his first victory was not in a game he actually played in.
Braelon Allen, the youngest player in the NFL, ran for a 20-yard touchdown with 4:31 remaining to give Rodgers and the Jets the lead for good, helping them beat the Tennessee Titans 24-17 on Sunday.
Rodgers threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns, and got to take a knee for his first win as the Jets’ starting quarterback. He injured his left Achilles tendon on his fourth play of the Jets’ 2023 season opener, which was a win against Buffalo.
The 40-year-old four-time NFL MVP said that although the first win counts, this one felt special because it had “been a long time coming.”
“These are the kinds of games you look back on later in the season and feel grateful you won,” Rodgers said. “To be a great team, we need to win in these kinds of situations against teams like that.”
One of Rodgers’ touchdown passes was to Allen, the NFL’s youngest player. Allen, a fourth-round pick from Wisconsin, said playing alongside Breece Hall helps take some attention off him. He also credited tight end Jeremy Ruckert for the key block on his game-winning touchdown run.
“My Nana could probably score on that one,” Allen joked.
The Jets (1-1) spoiled the home opener for Titans first-year coach Brian Callahan, who saw a couple of crucial turnovers from second-year quarterback Will Levis.
“The mistakes were critical,” Callahan said. The Titans (0-2) still had a chance at the end.
Will McDonald IV, who had three of the Jets’ four sacks, got his third sack with 23 seconds left on third down. Levis threw a pass to Tyler Boyd on fourth-and-goal from the 14, but Jets safety Tony Adams broke up the pass, turning it over on downs.
The Jets capitalized on the Titans’ mistakes, scoring 17 points from them. First, Brandin Echols made an interception. Then, a roughing penalty by two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons on third down extended a New York drive, allowing the Jets to take a 14-10 lead at the start of the third quarter.
Irvin Charles blocked a punt by Ryan Stonehouse, leading to a 33-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein and a 17-10 lead.
