Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New England Patriots had a tough time getting their arms round New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. So did his coach.
In maybe his most interesting efficiency in years, Rodgers handed for 281 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-3 victory Thursday evening at MetLife Stadium, making a number of off-platform performs on the transfer and outdoors the pocket.
And but the viral second from the sport was Rodgers' awkward encounter with coach Robert Saleh when the Jets took a 14-0 lead within the second quarter on Breece Hall's 1-yard landing run.
When Rodgers returned to the sideline, he slapped palms with Saleh, who then moved in for a hug. Rodgers was in no temper for an embrace. He gave Saleh a delicate shove and glared at him as he walked away. The quarterback's physique language gave the impression to be saying, “It's too early to be celebrating like that.”
Afterward, each males tried to make mild of it.
“He's not a big hugger usually, so I didn't know he was going for the hug,” Rodgers stated with a smile. “He likes to do the two-hand chest push as well. He talks a lot about two-score leads. So I kind of gave him a push and said, ‘Two-score lead.'”
Saleh stated they'd talked earlier than the sport in regards to the significance of giving the protection a two-score lead. Once that occurred, Saleh apparently wished to have a bro-hug along with his franchise quarterback, who apparently had different concepts.
They laughed it off, which is simpler to do after a win — the second straight for the Jets (2-1), who dominated from the outset with Rodgers dissecting the New England protection.
“This was kind of the first step in playing like I know I'm capable of playing,” Rodgers stated. “I felt like I was myself from five years ago.”
Rodgers (27-for-35) turned the fourth quarterback in NFL historical past to finish 75% of his passes in sport whereas throwing for not less than 250 yards on the age of 40 or older. He joined Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Brett Favre.
What made this efficiency so particular was the best way he moved to flee stress. After two pedestrian performances when it comes to mobility, Rodgers, 40, seemed faster as he escaped stress.
He was 6-for-6 for 88 yards when throwing outdoors the pocket — his most completions outdoors the pocket with out an incompletion over the previous 15 years, in response to ESPN Research. Rodgers, who did not deal with stress effectively within the first two video games, beat the Patriots (1-2) along with his fast launch and skill to elude rushers.
“The cool thing was he showed the mobility that we saw in training camp,” Saleh stated. “He may not be what he used to be with his legs, but his arm is still 30 and his mind is still operating at a high level.”
It was an emotional evening for Rodgers, who returned to the scene of final 12 months's season-ending Achilles harm in Week 1. This time, he caught round for your entire sport. By the third quarter, the gang was chanting his identify.
He gave the Jets a 7-0 lead with a landing move to broad receiver Allen Lazard, who responded by working as much as Rodgers and handing him the ball. Lazard, who performed with Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers, wished him to have the ball as a result of he knew it was a particular evening.
“I'm just so happy for him,” Lazard stated. “To be able to make it back here, being 40 years old, coming off the Achilles, playing three games in 10 days, I'm very proud of everyone, especially him. It was just a special moment for us.”
Rodgers directed landing drives of 73, 91 and 66 yards, spreading the ball to eight receivers. They put the sport out of attain with a 2-yard scoring move to broad receiver Garrett Wilson with 6:18 left within the third quarter, making it 21-3.
Wilson was stopped on the 1-yard on the earlier play, so Rodgers wished to provide him one other likelihood to attain. He stated he dedicated a quarterback's “mortal sin” by making a premeditated determination, forcing one to Wilson.
“He kind of said something coming back to the huddle, like, ‘Throw me the ball again,' which is great,” Rodgers stated. “So I said OK.”
On a run-pass possibility, Rodgers fired a laser that reached Wilson a split-second earlier than cornerback Christian Gonzalez arrived. It was Wilson's first landing of the season, ending an eight-game landing drought.
“Me and the end zone have a tough relationship right now,” Wilson stated. “So it definitely felt good to get on good terms with the end zone.”
