Every NFL team comes into the season with expectations they hope to meet. Some teams come into their respective season with lopsided expectations that are impossible to live up to. This was the case for the 2024 New York Jets. In 2023, the Jets had high expectations going into the season due to the signing of future hall-of-fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. These expectations were shortly thrown out the window when Rodgers tore his Achilles just four snaps in.
With Rodgers returning for the 2024 season, New York had similar expectations as 2023 and were expected to compete for a Super Bowl appearance. However, after eight games, the Jets have not only missed their expectations, but they have fallen far below them. This column will discuss where things went wrong for New York and where they go from here.
The first issue with New York is that they didn’t prepare for Rodgers to not be the player he once was. Not only is he 40 years old, but he is coming off the most serious injury of any football player. Rodgers also struggled throughout the 2022 season, as breaking into a new team takes time. But, he simply does not have the time, considering his age and overall health. He has not been to the Super Bowl since winning it in 2011, and his opportunities are dwindling as time goes on.
The second issue with New York is that they put all their eggs in one basket with Rodgers and didn’t focus on the benefit of building the current team, or the future of the program. By giving Rodgers what he wants in both coaches and players, the Jets put everything on the line, and it makes their chances of success very slim. Allen Lazard is a solid receiver but is also aging and isn’t what he once was.
Nathaniel Hackett has had success with Rodgers before, but also had one of the worst seasons as a head coach of all time and the Jets could have gotten a better offensive coordinator. Robert Saleh was not a proven coach but firing him midseason did more hurt than necessary as it allowed the media to push the narrative that Rodgers caused it. Additionally, trading for Davante Adams is like putting a band-aid on a bullet hole; it is a little fix to a bigger problem. The bottom line is that the Jets built their team solely on the vision of a 40-year-old quarterback and that was a mistake.
Another issue with the Jets is their play calling. The Jets have one of the best running backs in the league in Breece Hall, but they do not run the ball as much as they should. Through eight weeks of the season, the Jets ran the ball only 36.35 percent of the time, which is ranked 29th in the league. With running backs Hall and rookie Braelon Allen, that is simply unacceptable. The QB’s best friend is their running game and without a functional run game, Rodgers is left on his own to do the dirty work. In their first two games with new play-caller Todd Downing, the Jets did run more, but last week against New England, Hall was barely used. If the Jets want to change the trajectory of their offense, they must find a way to get their run game going.
The biggest issue with New York however, was supposed to be their biggest strength: their defense. Last year, they had one of the top defenses in the NFL, and this year, it was expected to get better with the addition of star pass rusher Haason Reddick. Reddick decided to hold out for a contract for the first seven games, and the secondary has been haunted by injuries leading to a much-maligned group on the field. The offense was never good with Saleh as the head coach, but their defense has always been one of the strongest in the league. After firing Saleh, interim coach and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich struggled to both call defensive plays and complete head coaching duties. Ulbrich stated in a press conference after the loss to the Patriots that he was willing to give up the play-calling on defense if it benefits the team.
The Jets are also focused on the wrong things at times, which include fighting with the media. Rodgers is notorious throughout his career for having his qualms with the media and that has continued this season. Despite their struggles on the field, Rodgers has said one of the Jets’ biggest issues is listening to the media. Reddick spent his time Monday criticizing Bill Belichick after the former coach commented on his play Sunday. New York should focus on their problems on the field, not the media.
New York was supposed to be a Super Bowl contender, but the Jets will continue to be the Jets.