Aaron Rodgers embodied the ongoing frustration within the Jets locker room – walking away as his team lined up for a Hail Mary in their loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday.
The Patriots upset the Jets in Week 8 as Jacoby Brissett led a 12-play, 70-yard drive to give New England the lead with 22 seconds left in the game.
With time ticking away, Rodgers and the Jets had no room for error after Garret Wilson dropped a long pass on first down.
On second down, Rodgers completed a pass to Davante Adams for 16 yards – putting them within Hail Mary territory. However, with no timeouts left, the clock ran out on the Jets.
The quarterback was the first to realize the state they were in, walking toward the sideline as his team hustled to the line of scrimmage. While getting a Hail Mary winner was unrealistic, Rodgers walking away before the final whistle emphasized the low morale within the team and the franchise.
‘The NFL is hard,’ Rodgers said following the loss. ‘Hard to win. Harder when you make it difficult on yourself.’
Rodgers completed 17 of 28 attempts for 233 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets’ losing effort.
While the Jets did not turn the ball over, they had several self-inflected wounds that led to the 25-22 loss. New York committed eight penalties for 55 yards and set the Patriots up with a huge punt for their third and final touchdown.
The loss also came with New England losing their best offensive player, quarterback Drake Maye, in the first quarter after a head collision with Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood.
Rodgers sent social media into a frenzy with a 52-yard Hail Mary against the Bills on Oct. 14. However, despite having the opportunity to create another highlight play, Rodgers waived off the chance and accepted defeat on Sunday.
The turbulent start to New York’s season has now seen them lose their fifth straight game. Their only two wins came in Week 2 and Week 3 against Tennessee and New England, respectively.
Both teams now hold a 2-6 record, sitting at the bottom of the AFC East below the 2-5 Dolphins and 5-2 Bills.
The Jets will have a quick turnaround as they host the Texans on Oct. 31.
