Winning in the NFL is difficult and should be celebrated when it happens. So much needs to go right to win games consistently at the professional level.
The offense needs to be balanced and execute in crucial situations. The defense has to be able to shut down all types of plays and formations on a consistent basis. And at the same time, the team needs to play disciplined football and not commit turnovers.
For the New York Jets, this is especially the case.
During the 2024 season, New York has lost in excruciating ways. Its defense has shut down opposing offenses in certain games, but saw the offense fail to do enough to secure the victory. This was apparent in games when the Jets played the Vikings and Patriots earlier in the year.
On the other hand, the offense has had games where it performed great, but was let down by the defense. This was most apparent against the Miami Dolphins last week; despite Aaron Rodgers having a great day, the Jets’ defense consistently put the team in a spot where they had to respond with points.
From that perspective, Sunday’s victory against Jacksonville is vital for the Jets. Young players on the team need to learn how to win. It is important for the veterans to show that they can still perform at a high level. Most of all, it is crucial for the roster to have positives to lean on from a season with so much negativity.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers reinforced this type of sentiment during his post-game press conference.
“They’re all special. That’s why you play. You play for the love of the game and to have moments like this with your boys. To be able to come up big. We haven’t had a lot of success…if you love this game, there’s nothing like dominating,” said Rodgers.
“If you’re a hyper-competitive person, whether you’re growing up playing in the backyard, playing in the playground at school, or playing flag football, you love dominating. That’s what it’s all about. Today was one of those good feelings.”
Jeff Ulbrich also spoke about what the win meant in the face of a tough 2024 season.
“It means everything. Regardless of circumstance, regardless of what may be said in the outside world, this locker room is right, and the culture and the connection of these guys is right. I know the results have not been there, but the process has been right, and that’s maybe the most frustrating thing about this whole circumstance. For them to come through and have the game they had today was so deserved, and I’m so happy for that locker room.”
It is from these types of games that fans begin to feel excitement – perhaps too much, though. They want to make decisions based on a small sample size of success to recapture the glory felt from a victory.
The main discussions that arise out of these types of games have been whether or not to keep Aaron Rodgers and “run it back” with this roster. This chatter has heated up due to Rodgers’ play over the last two weeks against the Dolphins and the Jaguars. In a vacuum, that is very fair; the future Hall-of-Famer has looked spry and closer to his upper level of play. He has led the Jets to multiple weeks of high-scoring offense and got the Jets back in the win column.
As a result, it is understandable why some fans feel this way. However, there has to be nuance when discussing a game like this one and how it relates to the Jets’ future plans.
Throughout the 2024 season, the Jaguars have been an awful team with an extremely bad defense and a severely depleted offense. Coming into Sunday, they were the NFL’s worst-ranked defense in terms of total yards, giving up 5,141 on the season. Based on yards per game, they had the second-worst passing defense and the ninth-worst rush defense.
Additionally, the Jaguars have the fifth-worst offense according to total yardage, only mustering 3,863 yards. Only the Bears, Panthers, Patriots, and Titans are worse this season.
In addition to the multitude of injuries the Jaguars have dealt with, adding this context changes the perspective of the win.
Despite throwing two interceptions, backup quarterback Mac Jones threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. carved up the Jets’ secondary to the tune of 10 receptions, 105 yards, and two touchdowns. On the ground, they struggled to fully contain Travis Etienne and… Mac Jones.
On the offensive side of things, a good chunk of Rodgers’ production late in the game came on busted coverages from the Jaguars. Davante Adams and Rodgers did a great job connecting down the field, but they had it very easy on a few plays against a poor secondary.
Additionally, the Jets struggled to run the football consistently. They only ran for 125 yards, and 40 came from Aaron Rodgers scrambles. Due to many factors, Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis could not find their footing and make a significant impact.
As a team, they had eight penalties and struggled with discipline early in the game, which helped Jacksonville get into a groove.
This is not meant to take away from the Jets’ successes. After not closing out games for five straight weeks, getting the job done is good to see. Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson played great, and Aaron Rodgers looks healthy again. Olu Fashanu looks like a franchise cornerstone. Sauce Gardner, when targeted, looked like he was reverting back to his All-Pro form.
Rather, this context is meant to show that overarching decisions for 2025 cannot be made based on a great game or two.
Considering their salaries, there will need to be plenty of thought put into the futures of Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers. The general manager and head coach hires must be prioritized and given the authority to make decisions about players; otherwise, there is a decent chance candidates may not look at the job the same.
This extends to the rest of the New York Jets roster as well. Despite winning these games, the Jets still have plenty of work to do to transform the team into a contender.
Essentially, feelings cannot and should not be prioritized over making the right decision. The Jets are in the midst of the longest North American sports playoff drought for multiple reasons, and one of them is acting irrationally when rationale is essential.
Maybe Aaron Rodgers will be back with Davante Adams. Maybe only Adams will be back, or maybe both will leave after this season. Those answers are still far away and will be predicated on who New York actually hires.
Until then, though, fans must keep nuance in mind. It is more than ok to be excited about an explosive offense and winning football games. However, a victory against the worst defense in football should not decide 2025 and beyond for the New York Jets.
