NFL
Aaron Rodgers, Jets Offense Called Out by NFL Fans After Loss vs. Bo Nix, Broncos
Mike Stobe/Getty Images
The New York Jets looked more like a bunch of kites flailing in the wind on Sunday, at least on the offensive side of the ball.
New York lost an ugly game against the Broncos on Sunday, 10-9, as Greg Zuerlein missed a go-ahead field goal with just under a minute remaining. The Jets’ offense did very little well against the Broncos, managing just 248 yards of total offense and no touchdowns.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Jets get UPSET BY BRONCOS after missed game-winning FG 😳
They failed to score a TD all game pic.twitter.com/yQHVivAhBP
The running game was stagnant, with only 64 yards on 23 attempts. Aaron Rodgers (24-of-42 for 225 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions) didn’t seem to be in sync with his receivers and took five sacks. Star wideout Garrett Wilson was tied for the team-lead with eight targets, though it only translated to five catches for 41 yards.
Unsurprisingly, NFL analysts and diehard Jets fans couldn’t believe what they saw from the offense on Sunday:
Rich Cimini @RichCimini
We’ve seen this movie before. Defense plays with no margin for error, then has a hiccup and the team falls behind. This looks like the Zach Wilson-led offense from 2023, 2022, 2021. #Jets
And despite it all, the Jets were nearly bailed out by a Broncos team that was just as poor on offense (186 total yards, 60 yards through the air) and handed the Jets a potential win on a silver platter late in the contest.
After Rodgers was sacked on a 4th-and-10 attempt with 1:46 remaining, the Broncos went three-and-out on the following drive and missed a 50-yard field goal. That gave the Jets the ball back with on their own 40-yard line with 1:27 remaining and no timeouts, needing only a field goal to win.
A completion to Breece Hall and a defensive pass interference call gave the Jets the ball on the Denver 36-yard line, putting them in field goal range. The Jets only managed four more yards from there, however, and Zuerlein missed a 50-yard attempt of his own, allowing the Broncos to run out the clock.
Yes, conditions on Sunday were hardly ideal given the inclement weather. But Rodgers and the offense would be expected to at least manage a touchdown or double-digit points. What transpired on Sunday wasn’t indicative of a potential playoff team.
Both the Jets and Broncos are now 2-2 on the season, with New York now traveling to London next weekend to face the red-hot Minnesota Vikings.