The New York Jets once again find themselves in a rut. They are moving toward another unsuccessful season and have a 2-6 record so far this season.
Many analysts and fans blame the Jets quarterback for not being able to lead the team even though the franchise has allowed him to play with his Packers teammates and even fired their head coach, Robert Saleh.
Emmanuel Acho Doesn’t Hold Back on Rodgers’ Jets Stint
Former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Echo didn’t hold back while announcing his true feelings about Rodgers’ gameplay this season and even his future in the league:
“I think I’ll say it like this. I think it’s playing for his future in the NFL. Why would a team want Aaron Rodgers based upon how he’s playing right now? If Aaron Rodgers loses today, moves to two and seven, loses six games straight. Why would you want him next year? Raiders, why would you want him next year? Any organization.”
“Aaron Rodgers is robbing the future of an organization.”
— @EmmanuelAcho pic.twitter.com/YrVxa5fMzS
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) October 31, 2024
“Giants, why would you want him next year? There’s no reason to want Aaron Rodgers next year. Aaron Rodgers, what he is doing is robbing the future of an organization without paying the present. You are robbing the future because you can’t develop a young quarterback.
“But he’s not even paying the present because he’s not good right here and now, just like when you go out at night, you know you got an exam but you go out at night, and yeah, the night doesn’t go.
“So it’s like if we choose to go out, we know it’s going to hurt us, but at least it’s worth it. Sometimes, imagine committing to rob the present and the future. That’s what the Jets are doing with Aaron Rodgers. He is playing for his future in the NFL.”
How Has Aaron Rodgers Performed This Season?
We here at PFN Insights have created a metric to produce QB ranks based on the areas we believe are the most important in analyzing their performance and their contribution to the team.
Our QB+ metric looks at several statistics, including net yards per attempt (nYPA), third-down conversion rate, passing under pressure, and passing from a clean pocket. Additionally, we have quantified performances in clutch situations using statistics from different key scenarios within a game.
By no means is QB+ the perfect metric, and we will continue to develop it throughout the season and beyond. However, when we analyzed it against the past five years, the results were extremely indicative of what we saw on the field while providing enough nuance away from traditional statistics for measuring quarterback play.
When it comes to how Rodgers performed in Week 8, he was nearly flawless when given time to throw (15-21 for 199 yards and two scores when not under duress), but the veteran completed just two of his seven pressured passes, and that led to struggles on third downs (Jets: 4-of-10). A few big plays to Garrett Wilson were nice, but Davante Adams was supposed to elevate this offense, and he turned six targets into just 54 yards.
On the season, Rodgers is ranked 19th overall.
The arrival of Davante Adams was not going to ignite the New York Jets’ offense overnight, but they need an impact soon. It is perhaps not a coincidence that Rodgers’ worst QB+ numbers since 2019 have been the two seasons he has played without Adams. Of course, there are a number of other factors, but the loss of his WR1 before the 2022 season came ahead of a big decline in his QB+ numbers.
Adams can help this offense with his ability to make space and get open while also potentially freeing up Garrett Wilson. Right now, Rodgers ranks 29th when throwing from a clean pocket, which is significantly below even his 2022 numbers. That has resulted in him ranking 25th in terms of nYPA (6.0), despite being 13th and posting some of his best career numbers when throwing under pressure.
The next few weeks are huge for Rodgers and the Jets. No matter what happens, there will be a feeling that Rodgers has been the architect behind the departure of Robert Saleh and the arrival of Adams. At 2-5, the season hangs on the line, and things could get ugly very fast if their performances do not improve.