LONDON – The Jets lost their second straight game Sunday with a 23-17 loss to the Vikings. Here are my impressions and thoughts on the game:
1. The Jets' offense needs a little more energy. Through the first five games, it was too predictable and conservative. This will be handled by offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They need to get into the lab and find ways to expand the field, buck trends, and create explosive plays.
The current trend around the Jets is to blame Hackett when things go wrong and praise Rodgers when things go well. But that's not fair. They are a package deal, and both share responsibility for the abysmal nature of the Jets' current offense.
Rodgers seems afraid to take deep shots. Rodgers is averaging 6.0 yards per attempt. The only starting QBs lower than him are Bo Nix, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, and Bryce Young. It's a young group, below-average quarterback play, and a list of names Rodgers wouldn't expect to find. But Rodgers seems timid. Maybe he's afraid of throwing interceptions, which didn't help Sunday, or maybe he's still working on that. Whatever it is, the Jets need Rodgers to stretch the field.
The Broncos and Vikings showed that the Jets don't handle blitzes very well. The Jets need to force the defense back with a deep shot threat. The NFL is a league of explosives. The Jets are like a wet firecracker right now.
2. So while the last two losses have been bad for the Jets, if you check the standings you'll see that the Jets haven't fallen that far in the standings. A win against the Bills on Monday night would put them in line for first place in the AFC East. They are currently one game away from an AFC Wild Card spot.
This is proof that it's too early to really worry about rankings. The Bills have also lost two games in a row, and I don't think they are a team in the division that can run and hide.
I'm sure there's a lot of doom and gloom surrounding the Jets this week, but everyone should remember this is a long, long season and no one is going to make the playoffs in five weeks. .
3. The 2022 draft class transformed the Jets, giving them a young core they feel they can build around for the future. However, the Jets have maintained an overwhelming record since entering 2024. The Jets are desperate to get Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall playing.
Gardner is doing well in coverage. it doesn't matter. He never makes a game-changing play. He had a chance for an interception in the end zone on Sunday, but couldn't come up with it. The Jets need to take advantage of Gardner when he becomes a target on offense and come up with a pick. It's amazing that reserve Brandin Echols has only two interceptions for the Jets this season. Gardner has two interceptions in his career, both in his rookie year. It must be backdated to Nov. 6, 2022, for the bill for Gardner's last interception.
Wilson had his best game of the season. On Sunday, he had 13 catches for 101 yards and one touchdown. He just hasn't made the big plays. This also applies to item 1, which is that Rodgers doesn't really extend the field. His longest catch on Sunday was 16 yards, making his longest catch this season 26 yards. Wilson had a chance to make a big play on the Jets' last drive, but Rodgers beat him.
Nothing went right for Hall the past two weeks. He was shut out again Sunday and hasn't had the breakaway runs we're used to seeing in his career. He had a 30-yard run and a long catch at Tennessee, but he's been really quiet this year. The offensive line doesn't have a hole for him, but he has shown in the past that he can create something out of nothing.
The final notable player in the 2022 class is Jermaine Johnson, who ruptured his Achilles tendon in Week 2 and is out for the year. The Jets defensive line is missing him.
4. All eyes are on Davante Adams right now. Trade talks are expected to intensify over the next few days, and we'll see if the Raiders move him. I understand the argument for trading Adams. After watching Allen Lazard drop three passes on Sunday, there was no doubt that Adams would be an upgrade. I don't know if he really solves the Jets' problems right now. They need to get better at running the ball and spreading the field. They don't keep their defense honest. Adams is a phenomenal route runner, but will the 31-year-old be a deep threat?
If I were GM Joe Douglas, I would proceed with caution. It may all depend on what the Raiders trade him for. I doubt the Jets would give up the reported price of a second-round pick for Adams. But once the price starts to drop, the temptation is too much for the Jets, so you know they're in Douglas' ear telling him to move.
reveal status
This is the sixth time in Aaron Rodgers' career that he has three interceptions. From 2009 to 2017, Rodgers didn't have a game with three interceptions. Three of those games came in his first two years as the starting QB. The last time he did it was until Sunday in 2022.
Amazing number of snaps
Rookie wide receiver Malachi Coley was inactive last week, playing zero snaps. You might think Corey could find a role on special teams or as a gadget player.
game ball
I know he got two penalties called, one of which was ridiculous. But I thought DJ Reed made a phenomenal play. Reed focused on reporting on Justin Jefferson and others. Reed has been playing at a high level in recent weeks.
