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How beat up and bad are the New England Patriots on the offensive line?
They started rookie Caeden Wallace at left tackle. That is the same Caeden Wallace who was the right tackle opposite Olu Fashanu the last two years at Penn State.
It’s kind of ridiculous for a team to play this guy at left tackle.
“If you don’t have tackles, you don’t have a chance,” said Pats radio analyst Scott Zolak . . .
Jacoby Brissett is a great guy and teammate but he’s a backup. He is 19-32 as a starter.
“The reason Drake Maye isn’t playing is the offensive line,” said Bob Socci.
“This is sacrifical lamb stuff,” said Zolak . . .
With all the attention the Patriots were giving the Jets outside receivers, Aaron Rodgers did a great job exploiting the middle of the field with tight end Tyler Conklin, who had a standout game. The Patriots linebackers couldn’t run with Conklin . . .
A big story tomorrow coming out of this game, might not have to do with the game, but this:
“Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and coach Robert Saleh had a really bizarre interaction with each other on the sideline,” wrote Cory Woodruff for USA Today. “A Saleh seemingly went in to celebrate a Breece Hall touchdown that put New York up by two scores over New England, Rodgers seemed to push Saleh off and say something to him in frustration.
“That is all anybody is going to be talking about tomorrow,” said one reporter.
What happened here?
There will likely be some kind of spin, but if I were to guess, Rodgers probably felt it wasn’t time to celebrate up 14-0. While they were winning, and doing some good things, they were also a little sloppy and had things to fix . . .
The Jets pass rush was dominant tonight and mainly did it with just rushing four and without two of their best edge-rushers – Jermaine Johnson and Haason Reddick. True, Reddick has never played for them, he is under contract to them, and had 50.5 sacks the previous four seasons . . .
After the game, Jets right tackle Morgan Moses, who hurt his knee in the game, was hobbling in the locker room, but didn’t have any brace, wrap or ice on the knee. He also had no crutches.
All this might not mean anything, but perhaps it’s not as bad as it looked initially . . .
This is not a criticism at all, because the most important thing is getting the win, but didn’t it feel like it should have been even more lopsided than 24-3, like the two New Orleans Saints wins this year, 44-19 and 47-10. If we had seen a final like that, I don’t think anyone would have been surprised.
Like I said, it doesn’t matter because they won, but the Jets left some meat on the bone, so in a way, it’s the perfect kind of early season win – impressive, but still a ton of teaching points on things they can get better at . . .
As a PR official was ending Aaron Rodgers’ press conference, and the QB was walking off the podium, when a reporter, probably from New England, yelled out, “What advice would you give Drake Maye.”
Rodgers before going behind a curtain to head out of the room, said, “That is a private conversation.”
This is such a great answer considering the whole brouhaha about how Caleb Williams didn’t seem that interested in C.J. Stroud’s advice after the Bears-Texans game when they met at midfield.
Rodgers nailed it. If he were to give the Patriots rookie QB advice, it should be done privately.
Whatever you think of Caleb Williams, if he didn’t ask Stroud for advice, why did he give it to him, and why did he give it to him with cameras them at the 50-yard-line?
Stroud meant no harm, and maybe Williams didn’t handle it that well, but Rodgers is right, those conversations should be private.
September 19, 2024
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