The Jets offense was inconsistenet in the first two weeks of the regular season, but quarterback Aaron Rodgers made throws that showed he still has his the ability to throw the ball the way he did in the past.
What was less clear was whether Rodgers still had the same kind of escapability in the pocket that he had before his torn Achilles. He gave an answer to that question on the second play of Thursday night’s game against the Patriots. Rodgers evaded pass rushers and ran five yards for a first down to kick off a night that saw him run three times for 18 yards overall.
Rodgers was also 6-of-6 on throws outside the pocket and head coach Robert Saleh said it was a good sign that Rodgers has recaptured his full capabilities.
“Yeah, the cool thing was he showed the mobility that we’ve been seeing throughout training camp,” Saleh said, via a transcript from the team. “Like I said, he may not be what he used to be, but he still has plenty in those legs, and his arm’s still 30, and his mind’s still operating at a high level. He was definitely impressive today.”
Thursday night was a showcase for what the Jets hoped to see when they traded for Rodgers ahead of the 2023 season. It was delayed by injury, but it will be a case of better late than never if it is a sign of things to come.