EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets were within striking distance of another much-needed victory on Sunday, but a critical missed opportunity and a momentum-shifting error sealed their fate in a 26-21 loss to Seattle.
The Jets had just taken a 21-7 lead in the second quarter after Kene Nwangwu’s electrifying 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Moments later, kicker Anders Carlson recovered a fumbled kickoff return by Laviska Shenault, giving Rodgers and the offense a golden chance to extend their lead.
But things quickly unraveled. Rodgers overthrew a wide-open Garrett Wilson on what would have been a touchdown, then, on the next play, targeted Wilson again, only to have the pass tipped by Seattle defensive end Leonard Williams, who intercepted it and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown.
“It’s disappointing,” Rodgers said after the game. “I mean, what else can you say?”
Rodgers knows how much was riding on that sequence. “We’ve had a lot of chances in these situations,” he said. “A lot of these games come down to one play. Sometimes that play happens in the second quarter. Make that play, and it’s 28-7. It’s a different ballgame.”
Instead, the Seahawks capitalized on the Jets’ mistake. Zach Charbonnet’s 8-yard touchdown run with 5:31 remaining gave Seattle its first lead of the game, and the Jets’ hopes for a comeback slowly slipped away. Rodgers and the Jets (3-9) had one final chance to turn things around, but it ended in disappointment. Rodgers was sacked by Williams on third down and then threw an incomplete desperation pass to Wilson on the final play of the game. The Jets fell to 0-5 in games where they had a chance to win on their final possession.
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich acknowledged the team’s ongoing struggles in critical moments. “We have to figure that out,” he said. “It’s never on one person. It’s on the entire collective group, from players to coaches to every single person on offense. We have to be better in those moments.”
With the Jets now on a three-game losing streak and eight losses in their last nine games, questions surrounding Rodgers’ future continue to grow. At 41, Rodgers has shown flashes of his former self but also struggles at key moments. He finished Sunday’s game with 185 yards and two touchdowns, but his team was shut out in the second half.
Rodgers himself reflected on the turning point of the game. “There were a lot of things,” he said. “But I think the two-play stretch where I missed Garrett open to go up 28-7 and threw a pick-six changed the momentum of the game.”
As the season continues to unravel, some are wondering if the Jets might consider a quarterback change to spark the offense. But Ulbrich is not yet contemplating benching Rodgers. “Not as of today,” he said.
However, with each loss, Rodgers’ future with the Jets becomes more uncertain. His contract for next season contains no guaranteed money, leaving the Jets with an option to cut ties with the four-time MVP if they feel it’s in the team’s best interest.
Rodgers was also reportedly the subject of internal discussions during the bye week about sitting out due to injury concerns. While he now says he is healthier than ever, some, including Williams, have pointed to Rodgers’ age as a factor in his decision-making, especially when avoiding big hits. “I think he’s an older guy,” Williams said. “When he feels a guy coming full speed at him, he’s going to chuck it and duck.”
For now, Rodgers insists that he wants to keep playing. “I’ll keep playing as long as I’m healthy,” he said. But with the Jets’ season slipping away, Rodgers is now faced with the possibility of his time in New York coming to an early end.
When asked about the possibility of sitting out the rest of the season, Rodgers was noncommittal. “We’ll figure that out when we have those conversations,” he said.
It’s clear that the road ahead for Rodgers and the Jets will be a difficult one, filled with questions about both his health and his place in the team’s future.