Patriots

FOXBOROUGH – As shocking because the Patriots' 2-6 record could also be to this point this fall, it's fair to say that expectations for a rebuilding squad in Foxborough weren't all that prime to start with.

The same can’t be said for the New York Jets. Although New York opened the 12 months with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, after the Patriots' dramatic 25-22 win at Gillette Stadium, it now sits at the identical miserable 2-6 record as New England.

Beyond the expected return of future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Rodgers from a season-ending Achilles tendon injury, New York was poised to field a stacked roster with young playmakers on each side of the ball, similar to Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams.

But things have quickly gone downhill for Rodgers and the Jets, culminating in Sunday's last-minute loss to a Patriots team that was without its most dynamic player in Drake Maye (concussion) for a lot of the game.

And with New York now observing one other season with an eye fixed on the playoffs, Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich pulled no punches in his postgame address.

“I'm pissed off. They are angry. I'm hurt. They’re hurt,” Ulbrich said. “We are not performing well in critical moments, especially not on the home stretch. We had the opportunity to win that game, should have won it, but we didn't. …This is a moment of darkness and we understand that the outside world will now become very loud.

“But the one thing I know in life is that when things get dark and hard, you work and point the finger at yourself and look within and figure out what I can do better from an individual perspective.”

Despite Ulbrich's rather gloomy attitude, Rodgers agreed with his coach's opinion about the state of an imploding Jets organization.

“I was in the dark,” Rodgers said. “You have to go in there and make peace with it. Offensively, our goal simply has to be to score 30 points. No matter what the other two teams do. We have confidence in our defense and our teams, but if we don't score 30 points we are underperforming. This offense can do that every week.”

“I was in the dark. You have to go in there and make peace with it.”

Aaron Rodgers was asked if this was a moment of darkness for the Jets and get out of it: pic.twitter.com/Cv7SjGHaAR

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) October 27, 2024

The 40-year-old Rodgers, once considered one in every of the pillars of the Jets' supposed success, was underwhelming in his first full season with New York.

Rodgers finished Sunday's loss completing 17 of his 28 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns. But he still falls in need of the high standards he set for himself in Green Bay — throwing 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in eight games this season.

While Rodgers was never a real dual-threat QB, his agility and talent to operate from his own pocket made him one of the dangerous playmakers in NFL history. But the veteran QB might be showing his age, especially after being limited this week with knee and hamstring injuries.

Several Patriots players noted after Sunday's 25-22 win that Rodgers had trouble escaping pressure.

“Yeah, I think he’s struggling right now,” Davon Godchaux said of Rodgers. “That’s a Hall of Fame quarterback right there. You hate to see him perform like that, but you'll always win against him on your resume.

“But he definitely doesn’t look the same. He kept moving back there – I was able to overrun him and catch him. He doesn't look mobile at all. It was good for us. We know we can come out and attack them in the passing game too.”

At this point within the season, New York has already exhausted several options in hopes of turning the season around. The Jets already fired head coach Robert Saleh earlier this month and traded for Rodgers' longtime Packers teammate Davante Adams two weeks ago.

The Jets at the moment are 0-3 under Ulbrich, while Adams (seven catches, 84 yards, zero touchdowns) has yet to be a game-changer on offense in two games.

At this point, the Jets are what they’re under Rodgers and company. And it's not all that different from previous iterations of this franchise.

“Yes, I imagine it could be, yes. Not for me, but I imagine it could be,” Rodgers said when asked if Jets players who haven’t had success are hard to purchase into. “That's why the guys who were having success had to take the lead to get us out of this.”

NFL

Aaron Rodgers insisted he played no role within the firing of Robert Saleh as coach of the New York Jets, calling such allegations “patently false.”

The star quarterback made his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, a day after Jets owner Woody Johnson fired Saleh after the team got off to a 2-3 start within the coach's fourth season.

Some media and fans speculated that Rodgers can have been involved in influencing Johnson, who said during a conference call Tuesday that the choice was “my decision and my decision alone.”

Johnson named defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich because the Jets' interim head coach for the rest of the season.

“As far as the ridiculous allegations go, I won’t respond more than one sentence,” Rodgers said. “And that is, I am angry about all these accusations because they are obviously false. And it’s interesting how much power people think I have that I don’t have.”

Rodgers confirmed he spoke with Johnson during a “nice call” on Monday night, but said the owner simply asked him how he was feeling after damaging his left ankle within the Jets' loss to Minnesota in London on Sunday sprained. Both Johnson and Rodgers said there was no talk of Saleh's future.

“Woody has no obligation to tell me his plans,” Rodgers said. “I just appreciated the call that he asked about me.”

Rodgers spoke about how the choice to sack Saleh was a reminder that football “is a tough business” and that decisions like this have a human aspect. He cited Saleh's family, including one among the coach's seven children, with whom he was close during team training. Rodgers also reiterated that he and Saleh – who said in a press release he was “grateful” for the chance to change into the Jets' head coach – should not at odds.

Tight end Tyler Conklin said during a video call with reporters that he thought the quarterback “probably took this harder than almost anyone” since it was clear “it weighed heavily on him.”

“I love Coach Saleh,” Rodgers said. “We have a very solid relationship. … He was one of the main reasons I came to the Jets.”

The four-time NFL MVP was traded from Green Bay to New York in April 2023. With his arrival got here Super Bowl expectations, but Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon 4 times in his debut last season – and the Jets finished 7-10 without him.

New York entered this season with similar ambitions, but a two-game delay and inconsistent play from Rodgers and the offense had Johnson frightened the team was heading within the fallacious direction.

Linebacker CJ Mosley said during a video call that players on the team's leadership council — including Mosley, Rodgers, Conklin, offensive tackle Morgan Moses and punter Thomas Morstead — met to debate the situation after news of Saleh's firing broke.

This was followed by a player-only meeting after which a team meeting with Ulbrich.

“I would say the biggest thing I heard a lot yesterday was responsibility,” Mosley said. “I believe we’ve got to maintain that in mind in the longer term. We all must take responsibility each day we walk into the constructing, each day we get up, and each decision made inside our organization, especially with our team.

“Whether it’s good, bad or somewhere in between, that’s what this is all about. So I think this was definitely a wake-up call and an eye-opener for a lot of people.”

Rodgers also talked about taking responsibility, starting with himself.

“I have to play better – I will,” Rodgers insisted. “We have a lot ahead of us.”

The Jets play at home against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night and a win would give them a share of first place within the AFC East.

Rodgers said the team welcomes Ulbrich and echoed among the coach's comments Tuesday that there have to be some changes with recent leadership.

“There were some things that had to change regardless of what happened to Robert,” Rodgers said. “And you know, we just didn’t play consistent football on offense. And as we know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett's status as the first game manager is uncertain. Hackett and Rodgers have had a detailed relationship since their time together in Green Bay, however it's possible that Ulbrich decides to show the play calls over to passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Todd Downing.

“As far as the offense goes, I agree with his decision,” Rodgers said. “And I need to do the very best for the team and we support coach Ulbrich.

“And whatever he thinks is best for the team, that’s what we’ll do.”

Patriots

Aaron Rodgers is not any stranger to playing against the New England Patriots.

Although the longer term Hall of Famer spent most of his profession within the NFC with the Green Bay Packers, he played 4 games against New England – and had a 2-2 record against Bill Belichick and Co.

Of course, loads has modified in Foxborough recently, as Belichick's 24-year tenure in New England is over and Jerod Mayo is now on the New England sidelines.

The reshuffled hierarchy in New England has not been lost on a seasoned veteran like Rodgers, especially after several clashes with Belichick and Tom Brady over time. In particular, the 40-year-old Rodgers believes it’ll be an adjustment to go up against a coach in Mayo who he used to play against on the sector.

Mayo, 38, was chosen in the primary round of the 2008 NFL Draft, three years after Rodgers was chosen by the Packers in the primary round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

“It's just a little weird when you're playing against head coaches you've played against before. You're playing against guys who could be your kids, you know?” Rodgers told reporters in New York on Tuesday“It’s a good reminder of how special it is to still be playing at 40.”

Thursday's primetime game at MetLife Stadium will likely be the primary time Rodgers plays because the Jets' quarterback against New England.

Rodgers played just 4 snaps in Week 1 of the 2023 season before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. Zach Wilson and Trevor Siemian began for New York within the Jets' two games against the Patriots last 12 months.

Rodgers and the Jets are 1-1 this season, with the veteran quarterback completing 31 of 51 passes for 343 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He could have a troublesome matchup against New England's secondary, especially second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Speaking on ESPN's “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, Rodgers praised Gonzalez, who is anticipated to play a number of plays on Thursday against New York's top wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

“I think he's a great player,” Rodgers said of Gonzalez. “He was at our rehab in the offseason at the Achilles Factory. It wasn't Achilles rehab, but he was out there. I got to know him a little bit. He's a great kid. He's super, super talented. I mean, he's an elite player.”

Gonzalez was matched up against Wilson during their Week 3 meeting in 2023, with Wilson limited to 3 catches and 18 yards on 23 routes in New England's 15-10 win.

Of course, Thursday's prime-time showdown will likely be far more difficult for Gonzalez and the New England defense with Rodgers at quarterback as a substitute of Zach Wilson.

NFL

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers is officially putting his Achilles tendon tear behind him.

The New York Jets quarterback has no restrictions as he practices with the team during organized team activities that began Monday.

“He does everything,” coach Robert Saleh said Tuesday.

Rodgers, 40, tore his left Achilles tendon in his fourth debut with the Jets within the season opener against Buffalo on Sept. 11. He moved forward together with his rehabilitation with the intention of returning at the tip of last season, but decided to desert those plans when New York was eliminated from playoff contention and he was still not 100% healthy.

Rodgers as an alternative focused on being fully ready for this season – and he appears to be well on his technique to doing so.

“He has no limitations and looks good,” Saleh said. “The arm talent is obviously still there. It's really just a matter of getting used to everything again. We're trying a lot of new things too. It's just about continuing to develop within the offensive line.”

Saleh said during offseason workouts earlier this month that the Jets expected Rodgers to be freed from restrictions after OTAs began.

On Tuesday, Saleh said whether Rodgers is 100% healthy is a greater query for the quarterback to reply, but added: “As far as we're concerned, his performance and his ability, there are no limitations for us. I ask him to do it at practice.”

Rodgers' return has fueled optimism among the many Jets, who were considered playoff contenders a 12 months ago – with talk of a Super Bowl appearance suggested by the quarterback and his teammates.

New York, which has the longest energetic playoff drought within the NFL at 13 seasons, is again named among the many teams considered contenders. The league's schedulers also value the team very highly and have scheduled the Jets for six prime-time night games in the primary eleven weeks.

Mike North, the NFL's vp of broadcast planning, said last week, “I feel like the Jets kind of owe us something” after the team scheduled five prime-time games and Rodgers was injured in Week 1.

“It’s New York, there will always be excitement,” Saleh said. “It's great that we are viewed in this light. But at the same time, none of it matters unless we focus on the process, take it day by day and try to do the best we can.”