LONDON – The Jets dropped their second straight game Sunday, falling 23-17 to the Vikings. Here are some thoughts and observations from the game:
1. The Jets’ offense needs some juice. It has been far too predictable and conservative through the first five games. This falls on offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They need to get in the lab and find ways to stretch the field, break tendencies and create some explosive plays.
The tendency around the Jets right now is to blame Hackett when things go wrong and praise Rodgers when things go right. But that is not fair. They are a package deal and both of them share blame for the blah nature of the Jets offense right now.
Rodgers looks like he is afraid to take deep shots. Rodgers is averaging 6.0 yards per attempt. The only starting quarterbacks lower than him are Bo Nix, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson and Bryce Young. That is a group of youth and below average quarterback play and a list of names you would not expect to find Rodgers on. But Rodgers looks timid. Perhaps he is afraid to throw interceptions, although that didn’t help Sunday or maybe he is still working his way back in that regard. Whatever it is, the Jets need to get Rodgers to stretch the field.
The Broncos and Vikings have shown the Jets don’t handle the blitz well. The Jets need to back defenses off with the threat of deep shots. The NFL is a league of explosives. Right now the Jets look like a wet firecracker.
2. So, as bad as these last two losses have felt for the Jets, a check of the standings show that they have not lost much ground. If they win Monday night against the Bills, they will be tied atop the AFC East. They are currently one game out of an AFC wild card spot, too.
This is proof that it is too early to truly worry about the standings. The Bills have lost two games in a row, too, and don’t look a team that is going to be able to run away and hide in the division.
I’m sure there will be plenty of doom and gloom around the Jets this week, but everyone should remember it is a long, long season and no one makes the playoffs after five weeks.
3. The 2022 draft class transformed the Jets and gave them a young core that they feel like they can build around for the future. But they have been underwhelming so far in 2024. The Jets desperately need Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall to make some plays.
Gardner is doing well in coverage. That is not the issue. He just never makes any game-changing plays. He had a chance at an interception in the end zone Sunday and could not come up with it. The Jets need Gardner to take advantage of when the offense does target him and come up with a pick. It is amazing that Brandin Echols, a backup, has the Jets’ only two interceptions this season. Gardner has two career interceptions and both came in his rookie year. You have to go back to Nov. 6, 2022 against the Bills for Gardner’s last interception.
Wilson had his best game of the season Sunday with 13 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. He just is not making big plays. This also goes along with item No. 1 here that Rodgers is not really stretching the field. His longest catch Sunday was for 16 yards and his long for the season is 26. Wilson had a chance for a huge play on the Jets’ final drive but Rodgers overthrew him.
Hall has not been able to get anything going in the last two weeks. He was shut down again Sunday and he has not had the breakaway runs we’ve gotten used to seeing from him in his career. He did have a 30-yard run in Tennnesee and a long catch but he’s been really quiet this year. The offensive line has not opened holes for him but he has shown in the past that he can make something out of nothing.
The final notable member of that 2022 class is Jermaine Johnson, who tore his Achilles in Week 2 and is out for the year. The Jets’ defensive line misses him.
4. All eyes now go to Davante Adams. Trade talks are expected to heat up over the next few days and we’ll see if the Raiders move him. I understand the argument for trading for Adams. After watching Allen Lazard drop three passes on Sunday, there is no doubt that Adams would be an upgrade. I’m just not sure he solves what the Jets issues truly are right now. They need to get better at running the ball and stretching the field. They are not keeping defenses honest. Adams is a phenomenal route runner but at 31 years old, is he going to be a deep threat?
I would proceed with caution if I were GM Joe Douglas. It could all come down to what the Raiders are willing to trade him for. I can’t see the Jets giving up a second-round pick, the reported price, for Adams. But if the price starts sinking it might be too tempting for the Jets to pass up and you know Rodgers is in Douglas’ ear telling him to make the move.
Revealing stat
This was the sixth time in Aaron Rodgers’ career that he threw three interceptions. Rodgers had a stretch between 2009-17 where he did not have any games with three interceptions. Three of the games came in his first two years as a starting quarterback. He last did it before Sunday in 2022.
Surprising snap count
Rookie wide receiver Malachi Corley was inactive after playing zero snaps last week. You would think Corley could find a role with special teams and as a gadget player.
Game ball
I know he got called for two penalties, one which was ridiculous, but I thought D.J. Reed played a phenomenal game. Reed was strong in coverage on Justin Jefferson and everyone else. Reed has been playing at a high level for the last few weeks.
