EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Unused York Jets avid gamers and coaches steadily discuss how they may be able to’t hotel to finger-pointing, even if issues are at their worst — which they’re at this time.
There used to be a play games overdue within the fourth quarter on Sunday, a protection bust that have compatibility completely in a season of distress and befuddlement. However that play games used to be arrange by means of a choice made at the alternative aspect of the ball a couple of mins previous.
It felt like a sport the Jets had been taking to win. They stole momentum again originally of the second one part, with a takeaway on a compelled fumble and later a Breece Corridor landing a couple of performs after. They went up 24-16 on a Kenny Yeboah landing reception early within the fourth quarter. The Colts trim it to a two-point sport, and later Aaron Rodgers labored the offense up the grassland, killing the clock and getting them to the Colts’ 25-yard-line with 3:30 left. On fourth-and-2, Rodgers going to the wrinkle of scrimmage. Jets cornerback D.J. Reed idea they had been taking to progress for it. In lieu, Rodgers attempted to attract the Colts offsides. It didn’t paintings, so the Jets referred to as timeout. Anders Carlson transformed a 35-yard grassland function. Meantime head schoolteacher Jeff Ulbrich regarded as this a display of self belief in a Jets protection that, time and again over the 2022 and ’23 seasons, did its activity on the finish of video games.
“When we saw the field goal team go on we were all happy like: Let’s do what we do,” Reed mentioned. “The last three years, that’s what we did.”
That’s no longer what they did on Sunday. That is 2024.
On the second one play games of the power, Anthony Richardson aired it out for Alec Pierce ill the proper sideline. Cornerback Sauce Gardner handed the path off to protection Jalen Turbines, who used to be meant to be in place to prohibit Pierce from catching the ball, in all probability even intercepting it. In lieu, Pierce simply stuck it, a 39-yard acquire.
On the finish of the play games, Gardner run over and pointed at Turbines. Literal finger-pointing. Two times.
What a cross by means of Anthony Richardson! @Colts are threatening
: #INDvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+
: pic.twitter.com/xTTdoEKmMs— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024
“It’s a play that shouldn’t have happened,” Gardner mentioned.
A couple of performs after, Richardson ran for a 4-yard landing. The Colts didn’t convert their two-point conversion however it didn’t subject. The Jets offense, with none timeouts, fumbled at the first snap later killed the clock on 2nd ill. Rodgers used to be sacked on 3rd ill and the clock ran out. The Jets, in embarrassing type, misplaced any other sport they must have gained. Ultimate ranking: 28-27. The Jets’ document: 3-8. The Jets’ season: within the toaster.
“It’s tough to process,” Reed mentioned. “That’s what your play for. You want to play meaningful football in November, December, January … We want to stick together. We have to stick together. The outside world is going to be pointing fingers — and understandably so — but the guys in the locker room, we have to stick together and I feel like we have the right character guys to do that.”
In what has become arguably probably the most disappointing season in Jets historical past, it’s sunny that even though the Jets have the proper personality guys, they don’t have the proper guys.
The Jets are on the level of the season when their offense is being booed off the grassland at their house stadium within the first quarter. The purpose that, when fanatics do cheer, it’s normally in a mocking sound — like when, on Sunday, the Jets offense transformed its first first ill simply as the primary part used to be about to finish, or when Gardner made an noteceable take on in the second one quarter nearest suffering for weeks to get fighters at the field.
They had been meant to mix a profitable protection with probably the most NFL’s largest quarterbacks to grow to be a bonafide playoff contender. In lieu, since Robert Saleh used to be fired and changed by means of Ulbrich, the defensive coordinator, the protection has appeared like probably the most NFL’s worst, permitting 26.2 issues in line with sport, failing in basics and crumbling in key moments.
“I have noticed that,” Reed mentioned. “The last couple games we haven’t played to our standard on defense. We’ve given up touchdowns, or given up explosive plays. I can’t really account for what it is. Coach Ulbrich does have a lot on his plate but he’s a grown man and he can handle it. I just think it comes down to executing and playing our role. I feel like we’re not executing, no matter what we’re being told to do, we’re just not executing on the field.”
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And there’s the Rodgers a part of all of it. Previous within the hour, he used to be requested if he nonetheless deliberate on returning in 2025, as he stumbled to the top of the worst season of his occupation. He answered, tepidly: “Yeah, I think so.”
Sunday’s appearing did not anything to construct it really feel like Rodgers turning back the Jets could be a excellent factor, for group or participant. The 40-year-old didn’t even surpass 100 passing yards till the 3rd quarter. He’s regarded reluctant (or not able) to throw the ball ill the grassland, and his excuses for that — utmost hour he mentioned the offensive wrinkle must prevent for longer, Sunday he blamed his deficit of deep throws at the Colts enjoying a two-high protection — aren’t moderately as much as snuff.
Over the utmost two weeks, Rodgers is 1 of 6 on passes thrown greater than 10 yards downfield, the only of completion approaching a pleasing sideline throw to Xavier Gipson in Sunday’s fourth quarter. The ones moments had been few and a ways between, and the Jets offense has by hook or by crook grow to be much less explosive since buying and selling for Davante Adams. Rodgers completed Sunday with 184 yards on 29 cross makes an attempt.
Ulbrich used to be requested if Rodgers’ reticence is maintaining the Jets offense again. He deflected in his reaction.
“We’ll take a hard look at the tape,” Ulbrich mentioned. “There’s an element to, of course, injury is going to hamper anybody in these types of situations, but it never comes down to one man. It comes down to protection, receivers, running backs, the running game, all those things. So, I know Aaron would love to be playing better, but it’s not just him, it’s all of us.”
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Rodgers merely doesn’t appear to be Rodgers anymore, even though nobody across the Jets group desires to confess it publicly.
“Yeah, I mean, it wasn’t my best performance,” Rodgers mentioned. “I felt like I did a few good things, but unfortunately in this game sometimes you have to make a decision and pick a side and sometimes you pick the right side and sometimes you pick the wrong side … It’s just one of those weird things. Sometimes you pick the right side and get lucky and sometimes you don’t and you have to look at the damn tablet and see a guy was open.”
He used to be requested about that kind of aim being one thing he hadn’t handled prior to — he driven again on the statement.
“It happens all the time,” Rodgers mentioned. “It does happen all the time, but sometimes you just pick it right and you get on a roll and seem to pick it right all the time. Sometimes it’s a hunch. I’m going through progressions. Sometimes in those two situations I would’ve had to have skipped over a progression and just trust the guy as being open. Sometimes that hits, sometimes you wish you would have just stayed with the progression. It’s the beauty and the frustration of the game.”
The Jets are 3-8. Their playoff hopes, if there are any, dimension from one to 4 p.c, relying to your supply. There may be plethora to be annoyed about. And none of it’s lovely.
“It’s very hard to fathom,” Reed mentioned. “I’m still processing it right now.”
(Lead photograph: Al Bello / Getty Photographs)
