EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ—At long last, the season is over for the New York Jets. The team’s 32-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins may not have mattered for the Fins playoff hopes—courtesy of the Denver Broncos win against the Kansas City Chiefs—but plenty of diehard Jets fans who grew up hating Miami are happy their team finished strong (5-12).
Week 18 Final
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The tumultuous, rough, and frustrating 2024 campaign ended with a game that had some positives. Most notably, quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 274 yards and 4 touchdowns (to 1 interception) on 23 of 36 passing.
No matter what his future holds, Rodgers undoubtedly finished this disappointing season strong. After an early interception resulting from a forced RPO slant to Davante Adams, Rodgers looked in control of things.
The future Hall of Fame quarterback finishes the season with 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns to 11 interceptions through the air—over 17 games played.
New York’s offense put together multiple scoring drives, using both the passing game and rushing attack to drive down the field. Rodgers found Tyler Conklin, Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and Breece Hall for touchdowns. They looked crisp and effective, outside of a few sacks allowed and some mental miscues.
Rodgers’s much-discussed 500th touchdown pass went to Conklin:
Lazard collected Rodgers’s second touchdown of the day on a shallow cross late in the first half. The ensuring Hall two-point conversion put New York up 15-6:
Davante Adams snagged Rodgers’s third touchdown, which served as an answer to the De’Von Achane touchdown early in the fourth quarter:
Adams finished with 88 yards and a touchdown on six receptions, while Garrett Wilson went for 51 yards on four grabs.
Rodgers wasn’t done there, though, as a backyard toss to Hall cemented the win for the Jets. Yet again, Mike McDaniel’s squad scored to cut the lead to just one possession (a 4-yard Jonnu Smith touchdown reception), but Rodgers and Hall answered:
In addition to the touchdown catch, Hall and the Jets enjoyed a workmanlike day on the ground. The Iowa State product tallied 57 yards on 12 attempts (4.8 yards per carry), with Isaiah Davis chipping in with 41 yards on just four carries (10.3 yards per carry).
Incredibly, Jeff Ulbrich’s defense forced turnovers, taking advantage of the ineptitude Miami’s offense showed at times. Ashtyn Davis came away with two interceptions.
However, some negatives still persisted. Discipline hurt the Jets on both sides of the ball again, allowing the Dolphins to stay in the game. Their defense consistently allowed yardage through the air and was only bailed out by Miami’s own mistakes.
Luckily for New York, their offensive production and Miami’s woes were enough for them to seal the victory. Despite the positive ending, the Jets’ five-win season finishes far from preseason expectations.
A crucial offseason now awaits for the Jets, as they will decide who will be the head coach and general manager of the future. Plus, what lies ahead for Aaron Rodgers also looms large.
Stay tuned for more as we wrap up the 2024 season from MetLife Stadium.
