The New York Jets dropped to 3-9 on the season in the process clinching their ninth consecutive losing season.
A big reason for the latest flop was starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. After the 26 to 21 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich was asked if he’d consider making a quarterback change.
“Not as of today,” Ulbrich responded.
Rodgers Looks Toast With the Jets
This random Week 13 game between the Jets and the Seahawks was about more than the final result. How would Rodgers look was a big question on a lot of people’s minds.
Rodgers is 40 and turns 41 on Monday, December 2. He was coming off a tremendous amount of rest because of the Jets’ bye week. If A-Rod looked good coming out of the bye that could open the door about his future with the Jets and in the NFL in general. However, if he looked off that would open up questions about whether or not he should finish the season.
Rodgers finished the game 21-of-39, 185 passing yards, two touchdown passes, and a backbreaking interception that got returned to the house.
This is the third consecutive game that Rodgers finished with 186 or fewer passing yards. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league where passing offenses benefit from all of the rule changes.
Early in the game, Rodgers showed plenty of movement ability, but his inaccuracy has plagued this team all season long. There were guys wide open, but Rodgers couldn’t find them.
The most painful of which happened with 7:57 remaining in the second quarter. Gang Green was up 21-7 and Garrett Wilson ran a beautiful route that had him wide open in the end zone. Rodgers missed him. On the very next play, Rodgers’ pass was intercepted, by former Jet, Leonard Williams who preceded to take it 92 yards to the house.
Instead of a 28-7 lead, the Jets lead was only 21 to 13 over Seattle. The game changed in that moment. Ultimately the green and white lost and Rodgers was a big reason for it as he has been throughout the season.
Rodgers Responds to Potential Benching by the Jets
“Yeah, I feel great. I was moving around well. That was as good as I’ve felt all season moving around, extending plays, [and] I came out fine,” Rodgers responded to questions about his health.
“Yeah, I don’t know. We’ll figure that out when we have those conversations,” Rodgers said when asked about a possible quarterback change. “I’ll have a conversation with Brick [interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich], if that is what he is thinking.”
Rodgers did confirm that if he is healthy he would like to keep playing this season. Media members then began to float hypothetical scenarios out to Rodgers if the coaching staff approached him about a possible benching in the near future how would he respond to it?
“That’s hypothetical. I’ll tell you after the fact if that happens,” Rodgers at the end of his media availability.
The backup quarterback for the Jets is longtime veteran Tyrod Taylor.
