The New York Jets’ playoff hopes took another devastating blow on Sunday as they fell to the struggling New England Patriots 25-22, leaving the Jets at a dismal 2-6 on the season.
Aaron Rodgers and the Jets were unable to hold onto a late lead as the Patriots mounted a game-winning drive in the final minute capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Rhamondre Stevenson. The loss was a crushing disappointment for Jets fans, who watched their team squander an opportunity to defeat their AFC East rivals despite playing without starting quarterback Drake Maye, who left the game with a concussion.
The Jets had appeared poised to pick up a crucial win after Braelon Allen‘s 2-yard touchdown run put them ahead 22-17 with under 3 minutes remaining. But the Patriots, led by backup QB Jacoby Brissett, methodically marched down the field, converting a fourth-and-goal to tie the game before Stevenson’s late heroics.
“Nothing about Sunday inspired much hope that New York—despite a collection of expensive talent across the roster—could turn its season around,” said one observer.
After the game, Rodgers, who joined the Jets in the offseason to help them become a contender, was clearly frustrated. “Every single human being out there has got to be better. Aaron and the coaches need to improve, according to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.
The veteran quarterback acknowledged the “darkness” the team finds itself in, with the Jets now firmly in last place in the AFC East. Rodgers lamented, “We haven’t really put it together since the last time we won a game.”
Fans and pundits alike were merciless in their criticism of the Jets’ latest collapse. Many pointed to costly mistakes, like Greg Zuerlein‘s missed field goal and a delay of game penalty on a crucial 2-point conversion attempt, as key factors in the defeat.
“The Zuerlein miss and the inexplicable delay in the game on the two-point conversion were both backbreakers,” said one analyst. “But both would have been a moot point if the Jets defense could have gotten a single stop to end the game.”
Given that the Patriots were missing their starting quarterback and were widely considered an inferior opponent, the loss was particularly galling. The Jets had previously defeated New England 24-3 in Week 3 before adding star receiver Davante Adams to their lineup.
One observer noted that the Patriots didn’t even have starting quarterback Drake Maye in the second half due to his concussion. “The Jets beat this same Patriots team in Week 3, 24-3, and that was before they had Davante Adams. It was also before they fired Robert Saleh.”
With the season slipping away, the pressure is mounting on Rodgers and the Jets’ coaching staff to find a way to turn things around. The team’s next opportunity will come in a Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, another AFC contender.
But for now, the focus is squarely on the team’s latest defeat, which has left Jets fans wondering if their playoff dreams are already all but dashed.
“Point the fingers wherever you choose,” said one commentator. “At this point, identifying the Jets’ issues is like throwing a dart at a board the size of the video screens in Times Square. Regardless of your direction, you will ultimately find a source of pain.