Aaron Rodgers believes he has found the fountain youth – but all his New York Jets teammates want is the chance to let him ‘be Aaron Rodgers.’
After five consecutive defeats, the Jets sit at 2-6 and are on the brink of yet another losing season, the slide has to stop somewhere and the next stop is a return to MetLife Stadium.
However it’s another Prime Time showdown for ‘Gang Green’, who face the Houston Texans on Thursday Night.
Five of their first nine games have been on either Thursday, Monday or Sunday Night Football – as their disappointments this season play out in very visible fashion.
Another was the opening game of the NFL’s three-week jaunt across the pond in London.
It has all cranked up the pressure on a franchise who have not had a winning season since 2015 and perhaps unfairly came into 2024 with the weight of Super Bowl expectation.
Head Coach Robert Saleh paid the price by losing his job, but since his firing the Jets have lost all three games under Jeff Ullbrich and offensive tackle Morgan Moses knows the players need to take more responsibility.
“Players make plays and coaches coach,” Moses exclusively told talkSPORT’s Will Gavin.
“Whatever it’s called, whatever we break the huddle with, the plan is to execute to the best of our ability and that’s what we’ve been doing all week.
“It’s been a short week of practice, but a great week of practice and execution and some really heavy talks about looking yourself in the mirror and see how you can figure this thing out for yourself, man to man.”
Moses job on the offensive line is to look after Rodgers, and allow him to make plays.
While the Jets offense hasn’t quite caught fire, Rodgers has 1,896 yards and 12 touchdowns but uncharacteristically seven interceptions as receivers and quarterback have struggled to get on the same page.
Moses believes the arrival of Davante Adams helps that: “He’s a one-of-a-kind talent and obviously I got multiple love for him because he’s a guy that got drafted in my class.
“Anytime you see a guy that’s 11 years in the league and is still doing it at a high level, man, you take your hat off to that because it’s not easy.
“What he brings as a professional, what he’s bringing to the receiver room to teach Garrett and all these younger receivers; how to operate in a way that they need to operate. It’s been a beautiful thing.”
Rodgers is returning from a year out with a torn Achilles, but it’s been the usual bumps and bruises that come as par for the course as a quarterback that have been limiting him in practise.
The 40-year-old caused another stir this week when he revealed that teammate Thomas Morstead has introduced him to a concoction designed to help ease the aches and pains.
“T-Mo gave me a little fountain of youth he said he’s been taking for a while,” Rodgers, who is no stranger to experimental remedies, told reporters during his media availability.
“All legal, of course. He’s been taking like cayenne pepper and water, so he gave me some before the game.”
It’s all part of the Rodgers experience. An experience that also happens to be one of the best quarterbacks of all time.
The former Green Bay Packers signal-caller is not used to being in a team playing catch up, but with nine games left the Jets will have to win at least six to have even a slim hope of a playoff push.
Rodgers has argued there is plenty of football still to play, and Moses knows that giving the four-time MVP the chance to make the plays is likely to prove crucial.
“His approach is unbelievable and what he does on the field and off the field for the guys is something that you really can’t even talk about because it’s unmatched.
Runway to Success?
New York Jets remaining schedule
Week 9 – Houston Texans
Week 10 – @ Arizona Cardinals
Week 11 – Indianapolis Colts
Week 12 – Bye
Week 13 – Seattle Seahawks
Week 14 – @ Miami Dolphins
Week 15 – @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 16 – Los Angeles Rams
Week 17 – @ Buffalo Bills
Week 18 – Miami Dolphins
“We know what he brings to the table and it’s for us to take some of that pressure off his plate by trying to run the ball, staying out of that 2nd and 10, 2nd and 12 and just operating smoothly and moving these sticks.
“When we call on Aaron to be Aaron, he can play freely. He can play ball like he like he wants to – we know what we got back there at that quarterback spot.
“For us to operate in the in a fashion to make sure that we’re getting the best out of him and not putting him in a hole by being in 3rd and 13 and 3rd and 14.”
The Jets are in a hole of their own making, but Moses is the latest player to call on the players to make it count, but time is running out.
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