FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — A little cayenne pepper might have put some pep back in Aaron Rodgers' step.
The New York Jets quarterback is preparing for a quick turnaround with the team's next game Thursday night at home against the Houston Texans. The 40-year-old Rodgers has been banged up during the Jets' miserable 2-6 start, dealing with a sprained ankle, a sore knee and hamstring tightness.
But maybe thanks partly to a simple but spicy concoction suggested by 38-year-old punter Thomas Morstead, Rodgers feels ready to try to help the Jets snap their five-game skid.
“T-Mo gave me a little fountain of youth he said he's been taking for a while,” a smiling Rodgers said Tuesday. “All legal, of course. ... He's been taking like cayenne pepper and water, so he gave me some before the game.
“Felt pretty good, but I've been kind of gassing him up that that's why I'm feeling so good. I'm not sure how much that's playing a factor.”
Cayenne pepper is thought to have several potential benefits, including helping with metabolic and gastrointestinal health.
Rodgers could certainly stand to add a little spice to what has been a mild start. He has 12 touchdown passes, but has been intercepted seven times in eight games — six off his career high during his first year as a starter with Green Bay in 2008. And likely hindered a bit by the leg issues — he tore the Achilles tendon in the same leg four snaps into last year's season opener — Rodgers hasn't been able to move around on the field as he once did.
“As far as my body’s been concerned, my left Achilles, thanks to Doc and the rehab I did, it's felt incredible,” Rodgers said. “The rest of my body hasn’t held up as well, but that (Achilles tendon) hasn’t been an issue, thankfully.”
After New York's 25-22 loss at New England on Sunday, Patriots 330-pound nose tackle Davon Godchaux told reporters he noticed a difference in Rodgers.
“Yeah, I think he’s struggling right now,” Godchaux said. “Just a Hall of Fame quarterback like that, hate to see him go out that way, but always gonna take a win against him, look good on your resume.
“But, yeah, he definitely don’t look the same. You just don’t know if he could move back there. I can run him down and catch him. He don’t look mobile at all."
Rodgers was told of Godchaux's comments — and didn't disagree.
“He's probably right,” the quarterback said. “Yeah, I was hurtin'. But feel better today.”
Rodgers said his daily routine includes rehabilitation at the team's facility and more rehab at home.
“I’m kind of taking care of myself nonstop,” he said. “And if you look at the game, you know, I only got hit a couple of times. I got sacked once. I didn’t really move a whole lot. That was probably part of it. But I expect to be able to do a lot, a lot more this week.
“I’ll be under center and hopefully be back to my faster than Godchaux speed.”
The Jets had walkthrough practices on Monday, when Rodgers was estimated to be a limited participant with knee and hamstring issues, and again Tuesday, when he was listed as a full participant.
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said there have been no conversations about potentially sitting Rodgers for a game or two so he can get fully healthy. Ulbrich also had no concerns about Rodgers' health while facing a short turnaround.
“I might have, had he came out of the game feeling worse than he had,” Ulbrich said. “And this is fortunately one of the games he came out of it no worse for the wear. So postgame was one of his better evaluations. So from that standpoint, very fortunate.”
Ulbrich said the Jets are still undecided on their kicker this week after Greg Zuerlein missed a field goal and an extra point at New England.
Zuerlein has missed six of his 15 field goal tries this season, prompting New York to try out several kickers in what Ulbrich said will be a two-day competition. The team will then decide who'll kick against Houston. One factor, Ulbrich said, is making sure there's “synergy” between the kicker, long snapper and holder in a short week.
Zuerlein showed up on the injury report as a limited participant with a left (non-kicking) knee issue.
Wide receiver Allen Lazard (chest), right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), defensive lineman Leki Fotu (knee), linebacker C.J. Mosley (neck) and safeties Tony Adams (hamstring) and Ashtyn Davis (concussion) were estimated as non-participants for the second straight day.
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