The Jets lost 26-21 to the Seahawks on Sunday, their third straight loss and eighth loss in their last nine games, and fall to 3-9 on the season.
Here are my thoughts and thoughts on this game.
1. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich announced Monday morning that Aaron Rodgers will remain the team's starting quarterback for this week's game against the Dolphins. After Sunday's loss, Rodgers' status came into question after Ulbrich left open the possibility of a slight change.
To me, there's nothing to be gained by benching Rodgers. I understand that he hasn't played very well this season. It's my understanding that Sunday's game was swayed by a two-play sequence in which he missed Garrett Wilson in the end zone and then threw a pick-six to Leonard Williams. But this team's problems run much deeper than Rodgers, and the part of the season where Robert Saleh makes a move like this to give the team a “spark” like he tried with Mike White in 2022. I think it's long past.
It would be a different story if the Jets had a young quarterback waiting behind Rodgers. it's not. We have Tyrod Taylor and Adrian Martinez. Rodgers still gives the Jets the best chance to win.
There was a moment on Sunday when I started thinking, “Here he is.'' That's the Aaron Rodgers I remember. He threw a clean pass to Davante Adams, then hit Adams with a quick pass after a bad snap, which was a true heads-up play. He also moved better than he had in recent weeks and was energetic again during the bye week.
All of this should give him a chance to lead the team in the final five games and try to pick up some wins in this disastrous season.
Also, he's the greatest of all time, and I think that needs to be considered here. Benching a four-time MVP, one of the best quarterbacks of all time, is not something you do lightly. It will affect players in the locker room and around the league watching the Jets, as well as future coaches and general managers. The Jets have a terrible image problem at the moment. They are considered a dysfunctional franchise.
Having Rodgers on the bench, who hasn't played well but isn't completely terrible, will only add to that dysfunction label.
2. In 2021, Robert Saleh's first season with the Jets, the team consistently lost heavily, with games sometimes ending before halftime. Saleh was talking about how most NFL games end by the fourth quarter, when either the defense makes a stop or the offense puts together a game-winning drive. His message at the time was that the Jets had to get to that point as a team.
Well, the Jets got there, but it was ugly.
Sunday's game was another example of the defense allowing a game-clinching drive in the fourth quarter and the offense not being able to put together a game-clinching drive. The Jets have lost six games this season that they could have won in the fourth quarter. The Broncos, Vikings, Bills, Patriots, Colts, and Seahawks all found ways to beat the Jets in close games down the stretch.
Certainly, there are responsibilities to be shared. Kicker Greg Zuerlein has come under fire for missing kicks against the Broncos, Bills and Patriots. The defense collapsed against the Patriots, Colts, and Seahawks. The offense failed against the Vikings, Bills, Colts, and Seahawks.
When the 2024 Jets are dissected, fourth-quarter failures will be a big part of it. There's something missing from this team when the game is on the line. Maybe it's the poise, the fight, the heart, the guts… I don't know exactly what it is, but I'm sure they don't have it, and it showed up again Sunday.
3. One bright spot in Sunday's game was the play of rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu. He didn't create pressure on 42 pass-blocking snaps.
Fashanu will likely do well at left tackle now that Tyron Smith is on injured reserve. There's no reason for the Jets to bring Smith back this season. They need to give Fashanu this time to grow.
It's clear that Brock Bowers will be the stud for the Raiders, and questions have already been raised about whether the Jets should have drafted him instead of Fashanu. Understood. When you watch Bowers, you can't help but be impressed. But the Jets needed a left tackle more than a tight end. I still understand why they drafted Fashanu.
But the conversation isn't going away, and it's always tough for linemen to compete in the comparison game with guys who score touchdowns.
Although it's very early days, Fashanu is showing positive signs for the future.
4. Haason Reddick continues to have little impact. According to PFF, he recorded three pressures and two tackles in Sunday's game.
Redick only recorded 1/2 sack in five games against the Jets. The Redick trade will go down as one of the worst trades of Joe Douglas' era with the Jets, especially when viewed through the lens of the Bryce Huff and John Franklin Myers swap. Next, add a holdout. It's ugly.
Statistics revealed: The Jets have had 13 defensive pass interference penalties this season. This is the second-highest number in the NFL. The Lions had 15.
Amazing snap count: Xavier Gipson played one defensive snap. No, he wasn't playing a two-way on Sunday. He stayed on the field on fourth down, believing the Seahawks had punted and the Jets had a flag with 12 men on the field.
Game ball: Kane Wanwu was promoted from the practice squad on Saturday and recorded a 99-yard kickoff return and a forced fumble on the kickoff in his first game with the Jets. That's quite a debut.
