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Rich Cimini, ESPN writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who arrived last year saying he wanted to add another Super Bowl trophy to the “lone” Lombardi in the team’s showcase, was reduced to a target less ambitious on Sunday after falling to 3-8.
One that doesn’t involve a trophy.
“I’m in my 20th year,” Rodgers said quietly after a 28-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. “I figured out a way to do this for a long time. You have to remember why you fell in love with this game.”
Rodgers was explaining how he will stay motivated for the final six games, perhaps the final six games of his legendary career. Their bravado has been silenced by a team that finds new ways to lose week after week and by a franchise on the verge of missing the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season.
His tally of two years with the Jets: a torn Achilles tendon and just three wins.
On Sunday, the Jets overcame a 13-0 deficit, took a 27-22 lead late in the fourth quarter and proceeded to crumble on defense in the final two minutes. They allowed Anthony Richardson to go 70 yards in six plays for the winning touchdown with 46 seconds left, a 4-yard run by the second-year quarterback.
Rodgers, outplayed by Richardson, turned in another lackluster performance. He completed 22 of 29 passes, including two touchdowns, but managed just 184 yards, his second consecutive game under 200. Afterward, Rodgers refused to use the word “shocked” to describe the team’s plight.
“That’s a buzzword, so I’m not going to touch on that response to what you just said,” he told a reporter. “I’m just going to repeat that I’m disappointed.”
The four-time MVP also seemed unhappy with at least one coach’s decision. After taking a 23-16 lead with 13:03 left in the fourth quarter on a brief touchdown reception by tight end Kenny Yeboah, Rodgers wanted to go for two. He gestured for “two” to step aside. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich opted for the extra point, giving them an eight-point lead.
Rodgers said he had “the impression” they would pick two because it was decided before the bench preview.
“Something changed in the meantime,” he said. “…So I guessed two and looked and couldn’t really tell. [It] It looked like they were holding one. “I was a little confused because I thought we talked about going for two.”
Ulbrich subsequently made another questionable decision. He opted for a 35-yard field goal attempt instead of attempting the fatal shot on fourth-and-2 from the Colts’ 17-yard line with 2:41 left.
Rodgers, who passed Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino to move into eighth place on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list, wanted to give it a try.
“Yeah, but, I mean, Brick felt good with Anders. [Carlson] kicking him and the defense stopping him,” he said. “But yeah, of course. [I wanted to go for it]. I felt like we needed to get to 30 just to be in the game. Now, obviously, the way we played, we still needed to get to 30 to win.
“But yeah, if we were a big team, we would have scored seven there.”
The Jets, losers of seven of their last eight games, are not a great team. A great team doesn’t start the game without a first down on its first five possessions.
Ulbrich, now 1-5 since replacing the fired Robert Saleh, questioned whether he kicked the field goal.
“I was confident the defense would be able to stop it, so I opted to kick the field goal there and not try it,” Ulbrich said. “In hindsight, I probably should have tried it.”
The defense has allowed 26 points per game since Ulbrich replaced Saleh.
Once the team’s hallmark, the unit imploded at crunch time. Richardson, who began the day as a 44% passer, went 3-of-3 for 60 yards on the winning drive, including a 39-yard pass to a wide-open Alec Pierce. He found a soft spot in a zone between cornerback Sauce Gardner and safety Jalen Mills.
“Ultimately, that last drive was very demoralizing and not our standard,” cornerback DJ Reed said.
Rodgers got the ball back with 45 seconds left and no timeouts remaining. This was the fourth time he had a chance to pick up a win on his final possession, as he has done so many times in his career. But the fourth time there was no magic.
It was an ugly ending. The last three plays: a Rodgers fumble for a loss of 11; a brief conclusion; a catch to end the game.
Ulbrich, who normally gushes over Rodgers, offered no superlatives on this day.
“I know Aaron would love to play better, but it’s not just him,” the coach said. “It’s all of us.”
“Pretty bad play,” Rodgers said of his fumble.
Pretty bad season.
