FOXBORO, Mass. — It took much longer than expected, but Aaron Rodgers is finally set for his first game against the New England Patriots as a member of the New York Jets.
Rodgers is 2-2 in his career against New England, but all four starts came while he was with the Green Bay Packers. Obviously, the superstar quarterback didn’t play the Patriots last season after suffering a torn Achilles in his Jets debut. Now, he’ll get his first crack against head coach Jerod Mayo when the Jets host the Patriots on Thursday night.
How Patriots Players and Coaches Feel About Facing Aaron Rodgers
The matchup with Rodgers was a popular topic inside the Patriots locker room on Monday.
“Him being a veteran,” Anfernee Jennings said when asked what makes Rodgers difficult to play against. “Aaron Rodgers is one of the best. Hall of Famer. One of the best quarterbacks in the league, Hall of Fame player. We know he’ll be ready to go Thursday, and we’ll be ready to go, too.”
At 40 years old, is Rodgers still the same quarterback?
“Yeah. It’s all autopilot, per se,” cornerback Jonathan Jones said. “He’s a veteran quarterback. He knows what he’s looking at over and over. I think it’ll come down to us just making plays. He’s gonna put the ball in there; he’s gonna give his guys chances.
“And it’ll come down to us making plays.”
Rodgers obviously isn’t as mobile as he once was, but the four-time MVP still can make plays with his legs.
“We need to do a better job of keeping the quarterback in the pocket,” Mayo said during a Monday morning WEEI interview. ” … Now, (Rodgers), he’s one of those guys. He may not be as fast as he used to be. But he’s still mobile back there in the pocket and still can make all the throws.
“So, have to get some type of pressure in his face somehow and also keep him in the pocket.”
Patriots HC Jerod Mayo joins @WEEI to discuss the Patriots plan to contain Aaron Rodgers: https://t.co/MqnN7GlM3l pic.twitter.com/uS6pHOPjVe
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 16, 2024
How Did Rodgers Perform in the First 2 Weeks?
Rodgers and the entire Jets offense struggled in a season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Making his first start in nearly a year, Rodgers completed 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown while throwing one interception and taking one sack. He rushed one time for minus-1 yards.
Rodgers fared slightly better in a Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans, but not by much.
He completed 18 of 30 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns while throwing zero interceptions and taking two sacks. Rodgers also added two rushes for one yard.
The Titans held a 10-7 halftime lead but cratered in the second half, largely due to a miserable performance by second-year QB Will Levis.
Aaron Rodgers EVERY THROW – #Jets vs #Titans pic.twitter.com/WIE9hYabHf
— JetsTalk24/7 (@JetsTalk247) September 15, 2024
Will Rodgers and the Jets’ offense break out Thursday night, or will they find tough sledding against a capable Patriots secondary?
As Mayo noted, it’s not just about coverage. The Patriots must generate a more consistent pass rush despite playing without star defensive tackle Christian Barmore.
New England also must limit star running back Breece Hall. If the Jets find success in the running game, they’ll be able to set up the kinds of play-action shots that Rodgers excels at. Unfortunately, the Patriots will be without run-stuffing linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, who could miss the rest of the season due to a torn pectoral muscle.
New England and New York will kick off from MetLife Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday.