Why ‘vintage’ Aaron Rodgers should have the Jets thinking Super Bowl

What Aaron Rodgers did last Thursday night in the New York Jets‘ home opener was heralded as a “vintage” performance. It was as if he turned back the clock three years to his back-to-back MVP seasons. He suddenly wasn’t a 40-year-old quarterback recovering from a major injury — he was right in the middle of his prime.

It was a welcomed blast from the past for a team that’s been waiting for the old Rodgers to arrive for more than a year now. But it was something even more important for the star-crossed Jets franchise, too.

It was a possible glimpse of their future — one that includes a trip to Super Bowl LIX.

Never mind that it was only Week 3 and only against the New England Patriots. What the Jets did in their 24-3 win at the Meadowlands really was a sign of how good they can be with Rodgers at the helm. They’re talented and deep, with no obvious holes on their roster. They have the pieces in place everywhere to dominate like that, even against better teams.

So yes, it’s hard to believe because these are the New York Jets, one of the most cursed franchises in all of pro sports. They have a long history of showing promise, only to pull the rug right out from under their fan base. That certainly has the potential to happen again, given that no quarterback Rodgers’ age has ever successfully returned from a torn Achilles.

But if he can — if he can stay healthy and keep playing like that, maybe this is more than just another tease. These Jets really can be the ones to break the spell and reach the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 55 years.

Because Rodgers really is that good.

“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,” said Jets coach Robert Saleh. “He was definitely impressive.”

Rogers’ numbers don’t fully tell the story of how good he was against the Patriots. He completed 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran three times for 18 yards, which isn’t insignificant considering he’s just 12 months removed from major surgery. He ran smartly, too, scrambling at just the right times. And sometimes he pulled up and threw, completing all five of his passes from outside the pocket. 

All of his passes, in fact, from everywhere were crisp, seemingly effortless, and perfectly on target. Some throws — like his brilliant 2-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson in the third quarter — were so perfectly placed that no one outside his receiver had a realistic shot at the ball. That alone was a pass only a few NFL quarterbacks even have the ability to throw.

That’s “vintage” Rodgers. At his best, in his heyday with the Packers, every decision seemed perfect. Every throw, no matter the degree of difficulty, often with just an apparent flick of his wrist, was right on the mark. He made the players around him better. He carried teams with a lot less talent around him than he has right now.

And that’s where the Super Bowl dreams come in, because beyond Rodgers, this Jets team is loaded — maybe even more loaded than most of the Packers teams he carried for 18 years. The Jets have been building toward this for several seasons now. They keep adding top-tier talent. Garrett Wilson, for example, might be the most talented receiver Rodgers has ever played with, and they seem to be just scratching the surface of what they can do together. And Wilson is flanked by a rejuvenated Allen Lazard, one of Rodgers’ favorite targets from his Green Bay days. 

He’s got an electric running back, too, in Breece Hall. And it sure looks like the Jets have added a powerful backfield mate for him in rookie Braelon Allen. They combined for 109 yards on 27 carries on Thursday night. Even the offensive line — the bane of general manager Joe Douglas’ existence for each of his first five years running the Jets — finally looks strong, anchored by top veteran tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. 

And then there’s the defense, which might be the most important piece of all — a top-4 unit each of the last two seasons and trending that way again. It has everything: One of the NFL’s best corners (Sauce Gardner) and defensive tackles (Quinnen Williams), talent and depth all over the secondary and at linebacker, and a budding star on the defensive line (Will McDonald, who has five sacks in the three games).

And don’t forget, edge rusher Haason Reddick is out there somewhere, collecting millions of dollars in fines as he awaits a new contract after his offseason trade from the Philadelphia Eagles. He averaged 12.5 sacks over the last four seasons. If he ever gets his deal and joins the Jets for even the stretch run of this season, that defense might be impossible to beat.

To be honest, it’s not much different from where the Jets were last season. They had been frustrated by what happened in 2022 when they were loaded with young talent and a top-tier defense, but were dragged down to a 7-10 record by the pitiful play of quarterback Zach Wilson. That’s why they went and got Rodgers, only to see him snap his Achilles four plays into the season, leaving them to ride with Wilson toward oblivion again.

They were convinced — and they were right — that the quarterback was their missing piece, and that’s the way it looked as they steamrolled over the Patriots. There aren’t many teams in the NFL as deep and talented as the Jets are, even in the overly stacked AFC. Rodgers is the kind of quarterback who could put them right up there with the Chiefs, Ravens, Steelers, Texans and Bills.

Sure, it’s a lot to ask of a man Rodgers’ age after a year of standing on the sidelines. But on Thursday night, Rodgers reminded everyone that he’s still got it. He seemed more than up to the task.

“It felt great,” he said. “I was feeling real good out there. I said to you guys after Week 1, ‘It’s going to be a process of continuing to extend plays.’ Once I feel more comfortable—and this was kind of the first step—and playing like I know I’m capable of playing, It felt like I was myself quite a few years ago.”

That’s the way it looked too, and it has renewed the excitement around Jets headquarters. Rodgers even fanned the flames insisting that his teammates “should expect a win” and added, “the next step is expecting to dominate.”

He showed them on Thursday night that he can help them do just that.

Maybe it won’t always be as easy as it looked. There will be better opponents, better defenses, and some nights where not everything is perfect. And Rodgers knows his recovery road isn’t likely to be completely smooth. He’s still 40. There’s no way to know if his body will hold up for 17 games. And he’s not likely to be as consistently great as he used to be.

But if he has more good nights than bad, more nights like he did against the Patriots, it could change everything about the Jets franchise and they will become very difficult to beat. He showed the Jets flashes of that on Thursday night, giving them a new reason for hope.

He reminded everyone how good he still is, while showing the Jets how good they can be — better than they’ve been in a very, very long time.

Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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