In a stunning display of dysfunction, the New York Jets suffered a humiliating 40-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, leaving players openly questioning the team’s effort and commitment as star quarterback Aaron Rodgers hit new career lows. The lopsided defeat all but extinguished any remaining playoff hopes for the 4-12 Jets, who entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations following the blockbuster acquisition of Rodgers.
Rodgers Sets Unwanted Record in Dismal Outing
Rodgers, the four-time MVP who was supposed to revitalize the Jets’ long-suffering offense, instead made ignominious history on Sunday. The veteran signal-caller was sacked four times by the Bills, bringing his career total to 568 – surpassing Tom Brady for the most times sacked in NFL history. Rodgers managed a sarcastic quip about the record after the game, but his frustration was palpable.
“Yeah, I got Tom on that.”
– Aaron Rodgers on setting the NFL record for most times sacked
It was a day to forget for Rodgers, who threw two interceptions, posted a career-worst 1.2 QBR, and was benched in the fourth quarter with the Jets trailing 40-0. For a player who came to New York intent on authoring a storybook ending to his Hall of Fame career, the reality has been anything but.
Missed Opportunities and Miscues Doom Jets
The Jets had their chances early against Buffalo. On their opening drives, Rodgers twice had the offense in scoring range, including a first-and-goal from the Bills’ 12-yard line. But a missed throw to a wide-open Kenny Yeboah and a tipped interception thrown to Davante Adams on a screen pass thwarted the threats. It was a sign of things to come.
“We have to execute that play.”
– Aaron Rodgers on the tipped interception in the red zone
New York’s lack of discipline was also on full display, as the Jets racked up a staggering 16 penalties for 120 yards. Rodgers himself committed his first career unnecessary roughness foul, shoving a Bills defender well after the whistle. The uncharacteristic outburst underscored the mounting frustration and lack of composure for a Jets team that looks to be unraveling.
Players Question Effort as Season Slips Away
Of greatest concern were the pointed postgame comments from Jets players who suggested that some teammates may have quit on the season. Rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner, an early bright spot, didn’t mince words when assessing the blowout loss.
“You ask me, obviously we’re not going to the playoffs, some people might be checked out. That’s just me going off speculation.”
– Sauce Gardner questions the Jets’ effort and commitment
Fellow corner D.J. Reed stopped short of openly questioning the team’s effort but made clear that complementary football was lacking, particularly from the offense. As Reed noted, eventually the dam was going to break for a defense constantly sent back onto the field.
“It comes down to complementary football, bro. We’re playing a high-powered offense… We have to get s— going — on offense, on special teams.”
– D.J. Reed on the Jets’ unbalanced performance
From Contenders to Pretenders
It’s a stunning fall from grace for a Jets team that just two and a half months ago hosted these same Bills with first place in the AFC East on the line. New York battled gamely in that Week 6 meeting before falling 23-20, but there was a sense then that Rodgers and Co. had the goods to compete with the conference’s elite. Those days feel like a distant memory now.
“It’s frustrating. It’s embarrassing. It’s maddening.”
– Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich on the team’s 2-9 slide
At 4-12 and eliminated from postseason contention, the Jets are left to wonder where it all went wrong. Rodgers, brought in to be the missing piece for a talented roster, instead appears to be a declining asset. The future Hall of Famer is due nearly $60 million fully guaranteed over the next two seasons, cap hits that could hinder New York’s ability to retool a flawed roster.
Dysfunction and Disappointment Spell Doom
The most damning indictment came from rookie sensation Garrett Wilson, who openly questioned the team’s makeup and commitment. For a team with no shortage of talent, Wilson pointed to a disturbing lack of cohesion and collective will.
“We enhanced our roster in all areas, so that just tells me — I don’t know, bro — we can’t be playing as a team. We’re probably just individuals.”
– Garrett Wilson on the disconnect between the Jets’ talent and results
As the Jets stagger to the finish line of a bitterly disappointing season, they’re left with far more questions than answers. Is Rodgers washed up or a victim of circumstance? Will the offseason bring yet another coaching change and roster overhaul? Have they already squandered a championship window before it really even opened?
Sunday’s debacle in Buffalo provided a harsh dose of reality. For a franchise all too familiar with chaos and underachievement, it’s back to the drawing board once again. The Rodgers experiment, expected to yield a deep playoff run and visions of a Lombardi Trophy, instead feels destined to end up as merely the latest chapter in the Jets’ haunting history of dashed hopes and monumental failures.
