The Aaron Rodgers era in New York hit a new low Sunday when the Jets lost 25-22 to the last-place New England Patriots in their Week 8 game at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots mounted a late comeback, scoring the winning touchdown with 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The Jets, who have now lost five straight games, are tied with the Patriots at the bottom of the AFC East standings with a 2-6 record.
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Rodgers didn't play horribly for the Jets. He completed 17-of-28 pass attempts for 233 yards with two touchdowns and zero turnovers. But the Jets needed Rodgers to be better than good to win this game, and he didn't deliver.
Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux was in the middle of the action all game, and he doesn't sound impressed by what he saw from Rodgers.
Davon Godchaux on Aaron Rodgers:
— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) October 27, 2024
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“I think he’s struggling right now…he definitely don’t look the same, he just don’t look like he can move back there. I could run him down and catch him, he don’t look mobile at all”
-#patriots #nyjets #NewEnglandPatriots pic.twitter.com/cwSHx10YeE
Rodgers is 40 years old and he missed nearly all of last season due to a torn Achilles, which is one of the toughest injuries any athlete can go through, regardless of age. So it's certainly not surprising that Rodgers doesn't move the way we've' been accustomed to seeing.
But there's no debating that Rodgers has been underwhelming this season. The Jets have played eight games and Rodgers hasn't thrown for 300-plus yards in any of them. He has thrown seven touchdowns with six interceptions during the Jets' five-game losing streak.
Rodgers also has tallied zero rushing yards in each of the last four games. He no longer has the athleticism to escape the pocket and pick up yards with his legs, which was a staple of his game for most of his career.
The Jets were expected to be among the top contenders in the AFC before the season. But with a 2-6 record and Rodgers no longer capable of consistently playing at a top-tier level, the chances of the Jets playing postseason football in January are pretty slim. New York's league-leading 13-year playoff appearance drought likely will extend another season.