Everyone who watches football knows Aaron Rodgers hasn’t quite been himself in recent years. Rodgers’ decline is understandable: he’s 40 years old and recently returned from a season-ending Achilles injury. But fans may not realize how stark his drop-off actually is.
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Earlier this week, FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd dissected Rodgers’ struggles on his TV/radio show, The Herd. Cowherd compared Rodgers’ statistics since 2022 to a number of other NFL quarterbacks’, including Geno Smith, Derek Carr, and Joe Flacco.
Surprisingly, Rodgers wasn’t a clear-and-obvious level above them. In fact, he wasn’t certifiably better than any member of the trio. But the biggest shock was how Rodgers lined up against Jared Goff. Over the past two seasons, Goff’s second-half production (seen below – 2H) has rivaled Rodgers’ full-game showings (per Cowherd).
- Passing Yards: Rodgers – 5,082; Goff 2H – 5,024
- Pass TD: Rodgers – 35; Goff 2H – 32
- 20-yd. Completions: Rodgers – 73; Goff 2H – 70
The numbers, while cherry-picked, do showcase that the Jets QB has failed to meet his lofty standards. In the past, Rodgers would be the quarterback with second-half production that outshined others’ full-year stats. However, times have changed.
Is Aaron Rodgers still capable of returning to form for New York?
The Jets (2-5) have lost four consecutive games. Rodgers has shown some life the last two weeks, eclipsing 275 passing yards in each matchup. But his trademark efficiency has disappeared. In his past four contests, he has completed just 58.8% of his passes (100/170) and thrown more interceptions (6) than touchdown passes (5).
Some people lack confidence in Rodgers finding a way to lift New York out of their slide. Former NFL MVP quarterback Cam Newton, based on recent comments, appears to be part of that group. On Thursday’s episode of his 4th & 1 podcast, Newton didn’t offer a definitive response to Rodgers being over the hill.
“We’re not used to this Aaron Rodgers… is he past his peak? Is he on the other side of the mountain?… He’s the best option that the Jets got.”
New York’s defense, which appeared stout through the first portion of the season, has gotten worse since head coach Robert Saleh’s firing. Unless it turns things around, Rodgers’ offense will have to carry the Jets to victory most weeks. If he continues turning the ball over at such a high rate, New York won’t sniff the playoffs. And that’s regardless of Davante Adams’ addition to his receiving corps.
In Week 8, two days from now, the Jets battle the New England Patriots (1-6). Following that, they host the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football to open Week 9. Sunday’s affair shapes as a must-win; Thursday’s, at home on a short week, offers promise.
A pair of wins would thrust New York back into the postseason conversation. Two losses would, for all intents and purposes, eliminate them. Rodgers’ legacy is on the line. He needs to step up and provide for his team. Otherwise, he may be remembered more for his off-field pursuits in Jets’ colors than anything else.
