Losing your starting quarterback minutes into a season opening game can be the end of a season for most teams in the NFL. When Aaron Rodgers, in his first appearance as the New York Jets starting quarterback, went down with what was later confirmed to be a torn Achilles, the first reactions were simple – the season is over. The season, in fact, is just beginning for New York and could very well end in the playoffs.
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Rodgers going down for the season with an injury is terrible news for him, New York, the NFL and football fans across the country. He is a first ballot Hall of Fame player that was brought in to elevate a team ready to contend now.
That is the key for optimism. Rodgers was brought in to be the final piece that pushed a team already ready to contend, but needed that extra push.
Rewind back to last season and New York finished the season with the fourth-best points per game defense (18.6) in the NFL. It shut teams down in the passing game, allowing the third fewest yards through the air (189.4) in a league that is built on the play of quarterbacks and passing offenses. That defense featured the Defensive Rookie of the Year in Sauce Gardner at cornerback, C.J. Mosley gobbling up players at linebacker and Quinnen Williams tackling quarterbacks with 12.0 sacks.
This season the defense has a year under its belt and is locked into the system and ready to take over the league. In Week 1 New York forced MVP candidate Josh Allen into four turnovers, the most in his career, picking him off three times (all by Jordan Whitehead) and forcing a fumble that was recovered by Williams.
Picking up not only a conference win, but a divisional win against the team projected to win the AFC East is another feather in New York’s cap. Instead of folding, showing the resilience to fight on after Rodgers went down is just the catalyst to galvanize a team like this to success.
Then, on the offensive end, this offseason New York built a team to take advantage of Rodgers’ aging skill set as a quick pass thrower. Third-year quarterback Zach Wilson slides into the starting role after playing in 22 games over the last two seasons. He is setup for success with second-year running back Breece Hall and newcomer Dalvin Cook out of the backfield, taking pressure off Wilson.
Garrett Wilson showed he is one of the best young wide receivers in the NFL with five catches, 34 yards and one touchdown on five targets in Week 1.
The defense was going to be elite this year no matter the quarterback situation and the offensive weapons improved over the summer, which now gives Wilson the opportunity to rehab his career and not have to put the team on his back. All of those things will allow the Jets to make the playoffs.
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