Jets keep finding ways to get it done
GREEN BAY – It’s a well-worn sports cliché that great teams find different ways to win games.
No one knows how the 2022 season will end for the Jets, but they’re becoming something of a cliché themselves: The team keeps finding different ways each week to win games.
It was no different in the 2710 victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field Sunday. The game wasn’t pretty at times, but the young Jets team played its best when it mattered the most.
After a 3-3 tie after halftime, the Jets scored 27 points. Cardiac Jets has been a theme of the season.
First, the Jets scored 14 points in 1:55 seconds to stun the Browns in Week 2. Then, two weeks later, they put together a comeback victory over the Steelers, scoring 14 points in the final 12 minutes. Last week, Gang Green scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to cruise past the Dolphins, 40-17.
Not only did the Jets come into Lambeau Field and beat the Packers Sunday, but they defeated them by three scores.
“Playing against a great offense, a great team, a great quarterback like Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay – those guys have been to Super Bowls, those guys have been to the playoffs year in and year out,” Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said.
“We gotta keep that mindset, good play, okay, next play. Bad play, next play. Going against great players like Aaron Rodgers and the great offense that they have and the great team that they have, you gotta be on your toes. You gotta play the next play and don’t worry about the pads.”
When Zach Wilson was off his game, completing 10 of 18 passes for 110 yards, it was the running game, the defense and the special-teams unit that carried the way. Breece Hall recorded 116 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.
The Jets blocked a Mason Crosby field goal and Micheal Clemons blocked Pat O’Donnell’s punt, which Will Parks returned for a touchdown. Lastly, Gang Green’s defense made Rodgers look like just another quarterback in the league.
Rodgers completed 26 of 41 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown. However, he struggled with decision-making. Williams registered two sacks and seven quarterback hurries.
Green Bay came into Sunday’s game with the 11th-best rushing attack in the NFL, averaging 134.8 yards per game on the ground. But the Jets held the duo of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillion to 60 yards rushing.
Cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner also was a key contributor to the win, blanketing Packers receivers for a large part of the afternoon.
“I thought our defense has been playing well the whole season with the exception of maybe the Cleveland game,” Robert Saleh said. “We’ve been pretty good and we’ve been getting better every week.”
“I thought our D-line was outstanding today. I thought our back end did a good job of communication and all the things that they did, especially on third down. “We made a commitment to stop the run today.”
The Jets’ four-game stretch games before their bye week are key to figuring out if they’re truly a playoff contender or a pretender. Gang Green is 3-0 in road games this season and it has another road test against another future Hall of Fame quarterback in Russell Wilson and the Broncos. Then, the Jets have home games against their division rivals the Patriots and the Bills before their bye week.
The Jets have already matched their win total from a season ago. Last week, they ended their 12-game AFC East divisional losing streak with a win over the Dolphins. Sunday, Gang Green ended the Packers’ 15-game home regular-season winning streak.
This isn’t the same old Jets by any means. The foundation of young players mixed with players like Williams, Corey Davis and Duane Brown has the team not only wanting more, but believing bigger goals are still yet to come for the team.
“It just shows how hungry we are,” Breece Hall said. “It just shows that we are trending upwards. We played good football today, but we are not satisfied.”