New York Jets fans are dogs chasing cars. They wouldn’t know what to do if they actually caught one.
It makes perfect sense, really, that only The Dark Knight’s Joker could aptly describe Jets fans in 2024. Running wildly starved for more than the last decade, maniacal foaming at the mouth commenced the moment a certain somebody brought them a picturesque patriotic moment.
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(Sure, The Matrix could have also been utilized to describe what followed that epic scene, but let’s tackle one movie reference at a time.)
A year later, the “dress rehearsal” game is near, which brings us to the interestingly named Snoopy Bowl. This year, however, Robert Saleh‘s plan of attack does not even closely resemble a dress rehearsal.
Most of the veterans will not play. Among them is a certain somebody whose unfortunate accident pushed the Jets fan from thinking about chasing cars to rabidly wanting to watch the world burn.
Every Aaron Rodgers pass in training camp is spotlighted. Every Aaron Rodgers word is dissected. And every Aaron Rodgers play—particularly from a Jets fan point of view—is coveted.
How could that not be the case? Lasting just four snaps into the latest season of hope forced Jets fandom closer to the edge. Visualizing the future is the only thing preventing them from taking that Homer Simpson skateboarding cliff plunge—only in an intentional fashion.
The Jets fan craves nothing more than real-life Aaron Rodgers football.
With that in mind, coupled with the fact that Rodgers will not see the field against the New York Giants on Saturday night, it’s only apt to revisit the future Hall of Famer’s film from a year ago.
Oh yeah … and it’s also appropriate to highlight Aaron Rodgers’s secret to quarterback greatness. After all, it’s not that difficult to uncover; only a dive into the Jets-Giants tape and listening to the man’s own words make it plainly obvious.
Wink Martindale played some games
When asked about the Giants’ defense, Rodgers pointed to how different it is this season and provided us with a bit of insight into the 2023 matchup.
“You know, Wink (Don Martindale) told us pregame (that he wasn’t) going to play much cover three and then went zero in half the snaps, including the first play,” Rodgers told the media after Tuesday’s practice.
Whether or not Wink had a little fun with Rodgers isn’t the point. It’s instead about how the Jets offense functioned with Rodgers at the helm—while facing pressure looks.
Martindale sent heat early and often. Not only was he potentially playing some games with Rodgers and the Jets, but he also ripped apart the preseason norm.
Rarely do we witness an NFL defense blitzing this much in preseason games. A defensive coordinator is always careful not to give away too much in August. But hey, that’s who Wink Martindale is as a defensive mind, and it worked brilliantly in allowing us a glimpse into how Aaron Rodgers operates an offense.
Rodgers’s secret to quarterback greatness
Think quickly … what was the Green Bay Packers offensive identity with Aaron Rodgers at the helm? What was the New England Patriots offensive identity with Tom Brady in charge?
The answer is hard to find because the modern NFL doesn’t operate like it once did.
The 1985 Chicago Bears played a distinct style of football. Buddy Ryan’s defense dominated the game, whereas the offense completed the game plan. Today’s offenses rarely have a clearcut offensive identity, and it’s even more stark when a great quarterback is running the show.
Thanks to the rule changes, which have led to a more wide-open style of play, chameleon-like game-planning and three-step drop concepts have overtaken the league. Understanding pre-snap looks allows great quarterbacks to separate themselves by simply taking what the defense gives them.
“Well, you know, I like to throw to the open guy,” Rodgers told the media on Tuesday. “But like it was in Green Bay with various guys, sometimes that number one guy is open more than others, so they get the lion’s share of the targets from time to time.”
Sure, it’s hardly a secret, per se, yet it’s also overlooked and rarely discussed. Rodgers graciously accepts defensive gifts, and this was featured against the Giants last August.
Member-only full film breakdown (over 40 minutes)
Below is the member-only Jet X film breakdown (over 40 minutes in length) featuring Aaron Rodgers’s two series against the Giants in the 2023 preseason and how it perfectly showcases the New York Jets quarterback’s secret to greatness.
The member-only video is also available to Jet X YouTube subscribers.
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