Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets were trying to score another touchdown, which could have given them a bigger lead and maybe even a much-needed win.
But instead of taking advantage of an opportunity, they made a mistake that changed the momentum.
“It’s disappointing,” Rodgers said after the Jets lost 26-21 to Seattle on Sunday. “I mean, what else can you say?”
Kene Nwangwu’s 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown put the Jets ahead 21-7 in the second quarter. Then, kicker Anders Carlson recovered a fumble from Laviska Shenault on the next play, and Rodgers got back to work.
But the drive ended when Rodgers missed a wide-open Garrett Wilson, who would have had a touchdown. On the very next play, Rodgers threw to Wilson again, but defensive end Leonard Williams intercepted the pass and ran 92 yards for a touchdown.
“We’ve had a lot of chances in these situations,” Rodgers said. “A lot of these games come down to one play, whether you make it or miss it. Sometimes that play happens in the second quarter. Make that play, (it’s) 28-7. Different ballgame.”
Zach Charbonnet’s 8-yard touchdown with 5:31 left gave Seattle the lead for the first time. However, Rodgers and the Jets (3-9) had one more chance to win, something Rodgers often did during his long years in Green Bay.
Rodgers was sacked by Williams on third down, and his desperate throw to Wilson from the Seahawks’ 34-yard line fell incomplete in the end zone, sealing another tough loss. The Jets are now 0-5 in games where they had a chance to win on their final possession.
“We have to figure that out,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “We have to figure that out quickly. It’s never on one person, it isn’t. It’s on the entire collective group, from players to coaches to every single human being out there on offense. We have to be better in those moments.”
The Jets, who fired general manager Joe Douglas last week, have lost three straight games and eight of their last nine. Under Ulbrich, they have a 1-6 record.
“We started by playing really good complementary football in all three phases,” Ulbrich said. “We didn’t end the first half the way that we needed to and should have. The second half was definitely not clean football at all by all three phases. Can’t win like that.”
Rodgers, who will turn 41 on Monday, finished the game with 21 completions on 39 attempts for 185 yards and touchdown passes to Davante Adams and Isaiah Davis. However, the Jets were scoreless in the second half.
“There were a lot of things,” Rodgers said when asked about the difference in the game. “But I think the two-play stretch where I missed Garrett open to go up 28-7 and threw a pick-6 that kind of changed the momentum of the game.”
Now, there are questions about whether New York should bench Rodgers and start Tyrod Taylor to try to turn things around—a possibility Ulbrich hasn’t considered.
“Not as of today,” Ulbrich said.
But with each loss, including the latest one that makes it nine straight losing seasons, the future of Rodgers with the team is being questioned. Rodgers is still under contract for next season, but the deal doesn’t have guaranteed money, which could give the Jets a chance to part ways with the four-time MVP. Rodgers was brought to New York to end the team’s playoff drought, which is now about to hit 14 seasons.
During the bye-week break, there were reports that owner Woody Johnson suggested sitting Rodgers after Week 4. Rodgers says he’s healthier now than he has been all season, and his ability to scramble on Sunday backed that up.
But even Williams pointed out that Rodgers’ age might have played a role in the pick-6.
“I think he’s an older guy — he doesn’t want to take big hits like that anymore,” Williams said. “When he feels a guy coming full speed at him, he’s going to chuck it and duck.”
Now, Rodgers is dealing with questions about whether he might be benched — either by Ulbrich or Johnson — and whether he will finish the season on the field.
“Yeah, I don’t know,” Rodgers said when asked if he has thought about that. “We’ll figure that out when we have those conversations.”
Rodgers emphasized that he wants to keep playing as long as he’s healthy, but he didn’t want to speculate on what he would do if the Jets decided to make a change at quarterback.
“It’s a hypothetical, you know?” Rodgers said. “I’ll tell you after the fact if that happens.”
