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Reading the tea leaves, you get the sense that some around the Jets think most their problems this season are because Aaron Rodgers got hurt, and everything will be much better when he returns this year or next.
That is a dangerous way of thinking.
Yes, they would be better with Rodgers under center, but there are myriad things that need to be addressed moving forward that aren’t related to Rodgers, if they want to take the next step as a program.
Like their run defense, which is 31st in the NFL, and wasn’t great the previous two seasons.
Or not making the main thing the main thing by worrying too much about things like PFF grades, Pro Bowl votes, and uniform color combinations, things that have nothing to do with winning on Sunday.
Also, too many penalties.
They also need to play better situational football, something Rodgers said himself on Thursday.
“We haven’t been any good at situational football,” Rodgers said about the 2023 Jets.
None of these things have must to do with Rodgers.
So no doubt, a healthy Rodgers, whenever he returns, should help the Jets a great deal.
But it’s not a panacea for everything, and people who are thinking that way, need to change their thinking . . .
Rodgers addressed the Jets beat writers today for the first time since his Achilles injury. This press conference had no access for local TV, it was strictly for print . . .
Rodgers said today that center Connor McGovern is “out for the season.” . . .
Rodgers was asked today if his return next season is connected to whether the Jets retain Robert Saleh, Nathaniel Hackett and Joe Douglas.
“That is such a trap question by you,” Rodgers said to the questioner, SNY’s Connor Hughes . . .
Rodgers said that Dr. Neal S ElAttrache, performed the Achilles surgery on Cam Akers in 2021, and the running back, then with the Los Angeles Rams, returned after 4 1/2 months . . .
A big part of Rodgers healing regiment has been drinking a lot of bone broth and taking a lot of collagen.
Bone broth has become the rage the last few years.
“The food world is buzzing about the healing power of bone broths,” wrote Debra Rose Wilson for Healthline.com. “It’s said that for thousands of years, bone broth concoctions have helped many ailments.” . ..
Will Mekhi Becton return this week from an ankle injury that caused him to miss the Jets-Dophins game?
It certainly seems that way.
Saw Becton leaving the locker room today with no limp, wearing shoes that looked like Crocs.
If you have a bad ankle, shoes like Crocs, which offer little support, would be a problem.
He seemed to be getting around fine . . .
Jeff Ulbrich admitted today the Jets’ run defense must get better:
“Yeah, we got to maybe change the presentation a little bit. I can help with some calls that will assist the defense, bring more guys into the box, obviously, at times,” Ulbrich said. “Then we got to play better, set better edges, tackle better, be more consistent.”
Getting a little bigger with the backup defensive tackles might help as well, so perhaps it’s time to promote Marquiss Spencer, Perrion Winfrey or Jalyn Holmes from the practice squad, all bigger-bodied defensive tackles than the guys they are using on the second unit.
Maybe promote two of them.
It’s time to stop doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
November 30, 2023
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