Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets are facing a critical moment in a season that's quickly turning from promising to potentially disastrous just seven weeks in.
They're 2-5 and on a four-game losing streak, and the talk of making a deep run in the playoffs has been muted. The challenge now for the Jets is simply winning again.
“There will be some ups and downs, some tough moments,” Rodgers said after the Jets' 37-15 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday night. “You've got to keep doing the little things. That's what it comes down to. We just don't do the little things well enough, consistently enough — myself included.”
New York added Davante Adams last week to what owner Woody Johnson said was one of the franchise's most talented rosters. Haason Reddick finally ended his lengthy contract holdout and reported to the team on Monday.
But is it all a little too late? Will any of it make a difference?
"Everything’s in front of us,” defensive lineman Solomon Thomas insisted.
Rodgers sounded some alarms with his choice of words after the game, saying he thought the team's energy was “flat” — both before the game and at halftime, when the Jets were leading the Steelers 15-13.
“Me, personally, I didn’t feel that way,” linebacker Quincy Williams said of the team's energy entering the game. “Everyone’s different.”
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who dropped to 0-2 since replacing the fired Robert Saleh, said there's an element of “pressing a little bit to make things happen.” He didn't think the team looked flat at the beginning of the game but could sense a drop in energy at halftime.
“We have all got to take a deep breath," he said, "and just do our job, and collectively.”
Rodgers had a hand in flipping the momentum to Pittsburgh late in the second quarter when he forced a throw to Garrett Wilson that was picked off by Beanie Bishop — the first of two interceptions by the Steelers' rookie cornerback. Russell Wilson marched Pittsburgh down the field and connected with George Pickens for an 11-yard touchdown.
“It did mess with our energy a little bit,” Thomas said, agreeing with Rodgers' assessment of the halftime vibes.
Then, the Steelers kept going. The Jets never scored again.
“When you come out like that, you’re disappointed, you’re frustrated and you want to make changes, you want to make fixes,” Thomas said. “So, we’re hurt, but today, we're optimistic and we’re moving on."
Reddick. Finally. Ulbrich said the edge rusher was at the team's facility and scheduled to take his physical after agreeing Sunday to end his holdout. Ulbrich said it’s still “a little bit too early” to know if Reddick could play at New England.
“He’s fired up,” Ulbrich said. “Ready to get rolling with us. He's got a few things from a physical standpoint that he’s got to get assessed, but then he’s going to be fully integrated into all we do.”
The running game. It's like a broken record this season. New offensive play caller Todd Downing got away from the run early at Pittsburgh and the Jets finished with 54 yards rushing on 15 attempts — including just 38 on 12 carries by Breece Hall.
“We did some really good things last week,” Rodgers said, referring to the Jets running for 121 yards against Buffalo last Monday night. “We just didn't carry over that momentum this week.”
Edge rusher Will McDonald. Last year's first-round draft pick has been one of the few consistent bright spots this season, getting his eighth sack to rank second in the NFL and one behind the Giants' Dexter Lawrence. Reddick's presence should help McDonald even more by giving the Jets another pass rusher off the edge.
Rodgers. He has thrown interceptions in each of his last three games and has seven for the season, just six off his career high set in his first season as Green Bay's starter in 2008. The 40-year-old four-time NFL MVP has been banged up — his left hamstring appeared to be bothering him — and inconsistent. It has left some wondering if Rodgers is one of the main players pressing.
“I just think he’s such an amazing human being and teammate, and he’s feels such a strong obligation to this team in the locker room,” Ulbrich said, “that that can get us all a little bit out of whack at times. Myself included.”
G Xavier Newman suffered a neck injury at Pittsburgh and went to the hospital, but Ulbrich confirmed tests were negative and Newman flew back with the team. It was uncertain if Newman would be sidelined for Sunday's game at New England. ... Ulbrich had no immediate updates on injuries to S Tony Adams (hamstring) and RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle). ... Adams' injury added to an already thin secondary that played without CBs D.J. Reed (groin) and Michael Carter II (back).
53 — That's how many of the Jets' 55 snaps on offense Adams played, according to NextGenStats. But he had only three catches for 30 yards on nine targets in his reunion with Rodgers.
The Jets have a chance to end their slump Sunday in New England when they face the AFC East-rival Patriots, who have lost six in a row — including to New York on Sept. 19 — since a season-opening win over Cincinnati.
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