The good, the bad, and the ugly of NY Jets' Week 3 win over Patriots

The NY Jets defeated the New England Patriots in primetime on Thursday Night Football in Week 3. The Jets scored three touchdowns while holding the Patriots to just three points, winning back-to-back games against the Patriots for the first time since the 2008-2009 season.

There was a lot of good, some bad, and just a little ugly. Let’s recap the dominant primetime victory with the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Aaron Rodgers and the NY Jets thrashed the Patriots in Week 3

The Good

The Jets' offense finally delivered on its much-anticipated potential from the past two years. Under Aaron Rodgers’ leadership, the offense overwhelmed the Patriots’ defense, scoring three touchdowns, converting 10 of 15 third downs (66.67%), and controlling the ball for twice as long as the Patriots, with a time of possession of 40 minutes to 20.

Rodgers completed 27 of 35 passes (77.1%) for 281 yards and two touchdowns, achieving a passer rating of 118.9. The four-time MVP silenced skeptics on Thursday night with his agility and tendency to extend plays by dodging defenders.

He rushed three times for 18 yards, reminiscent of his 2020 MVP form despite recovering from an Achilles injury suffered in 2023. His ability to extend plays allowed him to connect with eight different receivers, averaging eight yards per pass. Rodgers achieved a +9.5% completion rate over expected, marking his best performance since his last MVP season.

The Jets’ tight ends got involved early and often, catching seven of eight passes for over 100 yards. Tyler Conklin reeled in five of six passes for 93 yards, with an impressive average of 18.6 yards per catch. Jeremy Ruckert added to the effort by catching both passes thrown his way for 15 yards.

Let's also acknowledge the wide receivers, Allen Lazard and Garrett Wilson, who caught the two touchdowns of the evening. Lazard secured Rodgers' first passing touchdown at MetLife Stadium in front of the home crowd, who reacted accordingly.

Meanwhile, on Rodgers' 480th career passing touchdown, Wilson made history as the first first-round draft pick to receive a touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers.

While the offense may capture the spotlight, the defense also delivered a strong performance. Capitalizing on the Patriots' weakened offensive line due to injuries, the Jets' defense registered seven sacks and 15 quarterback hits. They limited the Patriots to just 139 total yards and restrained Rhamondre Stevenson to a mere 23 yards on the ground.

Head coach Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich appear to have altered their approach to blitzing. Last season, the Jets ranked second to last with a blitz rate of 16.3% per dropback.

However, on Thursday night, the Jets increased their blitz frequency to 40% on Jacoby Brissett's dropbacks, which led to three sacks. Impressively, these sacks exceeded Brissett's number of completions when blitzed, with a count of three to two.

And lastly, there were some celebrities in attendance supporting Gang Green on Thursday night. But none more loyal than Ray Ramano. Through thick and thin, the Everybody Loves Raymond star has been a loyal Jets fan. And he is excited for this season, as all Jets fans should be.

The Bad

Not all aspects can be positive, as there are always some things to clean up after every football game. The Jets' opening offensive drive began optimistically but ended with a punt.

Facing a 1st-and-10 on the opponent's 43-yard line, a sequence of a sack, a holding penalty, and a rush for a loss led to a 3rd & 19 situation. Rodgers completed a pass to Breece Hall for nine yards, but on 4th-and-10, the Jets had to punt.

Since the offseason, the team has aimed to start games quickly, giving the defense the chance to play from ahead. The offense had the opportunity to achieve this with the opening drive but fell short. To compete with stronger teams, the Jets must score early and frequently, easing the burden on their defense and pressuring the opposing offense to resort to passing.

As the first half drew to a close, the offense began their drive from their 24-yard line with 3:52 remaining. After 11 plays, the field goal squad trotted onto the field to attempt a 45-yard field goal with just 11 seconds left on the clock. Unfortunately, kicker Greg Zuerlein missed the field goal, missing yet another chance to score.

During the first offensive drive of the second half, the Jets were forced to use two timeouts because of the play clock running down. This problem also occurred last week and has now persisted into this week. These errors could prove more detrimental against better teams, where preserving timeouts is crucial for tight games.

Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson still seem to be out of sync, completing just five of nine passes for a total of 33 yards. Despite several opportunities for significant plays, they failed to capitalize on them. If they manage to sync up, Garrett Wilson's productivity has the potential to skyrocket.

The Ugly

Despite the lopsided victory, the Jets lacked discipline throughout the game. They incurred eight penalties totaling 106 yards, derailing potential scoring drives.

During the Patriots' sole scoring drive, the Jets conceded 49 yards due to penalties, which significantly contributed to the Patriots' ability to get into field goal range.

While some of the calls were questionable, particularly in the early stages of the game, the Jets need to exhibit greater discipline when facing stronger opponents.

Starting right tackle Morgan Moses sustained a knee injury with 17 seconds remaining in the third quarter. He appeared to be in significant pain when the pocket collapsed, and Rodgers was sacked, rolling into the back of Moses' legs.

Robert Saleh mentioned that the team is optimistic that Moses has avoided a serious injury, and he seems likely to only miss a couple of games. Rookie Olu Fashanu stepped in at right tackle for Moses and could see increased playing time if Moses is sidelined for upcoming games.

The Jets accomplished what successful teams aim to do by overpowering a lesser team, capitalizing on the Patriots' lack of experience. For Jets fans, this marks a significant turnaround. Prior to last season's win that concluded the season, they had endured a remarkable 15 consecutive defeats to the Patriots under Bill Belichick's leadership.

The Jets kicked off Week 3 of the NFL by securing their first back-to-back victories against the Patriots since the 2008-2009 season.

This is not the same old Jets, as the offense finally got rolling in this one. The team now enjoys a 10-day rest before they return to MetLife Stadium to take on the struggling Denver Broncos on Sunday, Sep. 29.

If the Jets continue to play this way, there's every reason to believe they can extend their winning streak by one more game.

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