The Jets lost to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13. That means we give out anti-game balls. There were also some standout performances in the loss, which allows us to give out game balls as well.
Anti-Game Balls
Aaron Rodgers: It feels like a lot of people in the national media have been trying to talk themselves into believing Rodgers is still something approaching the elite quarterback we came to know in Green Bay. With each passing game it is becoming clearer and clearer that the end is near for the future Hall of Famer. This game felt like a new low for Rodgers as he failed to clear even 5 yards per passing attempt for the second time in three games. He has now been under 7 yards per pass for four straight games and in seven of twelve games in 2024.
If the national media has yet to catch on to Rodgers' issues, it seems like opposing players and coaches sure have.
The Jets offense is simply not very dynamic right now, and much of it goes back to the inability to make splash plays in the passing game. This touches on the issue Williams discussed. It also seems like we are watching Rodgers' arm deteriorate by the week. In the few instances he is willing to deliver a deep ball, there isn't a lot of accuracy or zip. Twice Rodgers missed potential touchdown passes to an open Garrett Wilson.
And as smart as Rodgers is, he is getting fooled too frequently, such as on the pick six that came right after he missed a wide open Wilson in the end zone. That sequence completely changed the game. The Jets were on the verge of taking a three score lead. Seattle cut it to a single score. The Jets would put up no points for the rest of the game.
This was supposed to be Rodgers at his healthiest. He was off the injury report. He also seemed to be moving better than we had seen him move in some time. While he has nowhere near the burst he displayed during his prime in Green Bay, it seemed like he was at least able to move within the pocket effectively for the first time in months. Yet the result was no better.
It's become difficult to see how the Jets-Rodgers relationship can continue past this season. Why would either side even want that?
Breece Hall: Hall was productive on the ground, averaging 5 yards per rush on 12 attempts, but his third quarter fumble was costly. The Jets defense had just completed an epic goal line stand, stonewalling Seattle on eight straight plays from inside the 5 yard line. The Jets were finally moving the ball, potentially driving to a game-altering score. Then Hall put it on the ground. The Seahawks were back in business. It was the second fumble of the game for Breece. The first the Jets were able to recover. They weren't as lucky on the second.
Defense: I'll just lump the entire unit together because there was no one culprit for Seattle's 10 point fourth quarter. Just a number of key plays the Seahawks executed, and the Jets did not. A different Jet failed to come up big on every meaningful play. It truly was a team effort.
Carter Warren: The Jets offensive line played well as a whole, but Warren was an exception allowing 4 pressures in limited action in place of Morgan Moses.
Game Balls
Olu Fashanu: This is exactly the kind of game I was hoping to see from the rookie from Penn State. His rookie season has been rough. He has been bounced up and down the offensive line due to injuries. Now he has a chance to settle into his natural left tackle spot. I don't think his earlier struggles were really about playing out of position as much as they were about a young player physically having trouble adjusting to the strength of NFL competition. There's an adjustment period. The reality is most rookie linemen have troubles. It usually takes a year. I am sure there will be moments of struggle in the final five games of the season. The important thing is to see flashes of potential. You want to know there's talent to hone, moments where you say, "If he can put it together like that consistently, we will be onto something." A game allowing zero pressures was just that.
Will McDonald: McDonald had been quiet for the last month or so. Maybe with Seattle coming to town he heard all of the chatter about Jaxon Smith-Njigba's recent emergence. Of course many Jets fans were baffled when the team took McDonald over Smith-Njigba a year ago. Will's pair of sacks gave him 10 for the season, an outstanding mark for a second year player. I'm not sure McDonald is going to be a consistent double digit sack guy, but he increasingly looks like he will be a long-term asset as a pass rusher.
Kene Nwangwu: My new favorite player. Was this a one game flourish, or have the Jets found a new special teams ace? Time will tell. Either way, this was a game for the ages. Nwangwu didn't just return a kickoff for a touchdown. He set up another touchdown with a strip tackle on a Seattle kickoff return that the Jets recovered.