Credit: Shaun Brooks/Imagn Images
The New York Jets‘ 37-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium was marked by frustration and disappointment. Two postgame moments captured the mood: wide receiver Davante Adams, surrounded by reporters, questioned how an offense with so much talent could only score two touchdowns, while quarterback Aaron Rodgers consoled wide receiver Garrett Wilson after a critical interception.
“That’s almost what pisses you off even more, knowing that you’ve got those type of weapons and to come up short …” he said.
The loss marked the Jets’ fourth straight defeat, dropping them to 2-5. Wilson blamed himself for the loss, pointing to his third-quarter drop, which led to an interception by Steelers defensive back Beanie Bishop Jr.
Rodgers and Adams Reunion Disappoints
The highly anticipated reunion of Rodgers and Adams, who made his Jets debut after being acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders, fell flat. Adams and Wilson combined for just eight catches and 91 yards on 18 targets. Rodgers struggled, throwing two interceptions and failing to spark the offense, especially in the second half, where the Jets were shut out.
Rodgers took responsibility, acknowledging his recent poor play, which included five interceptions over the last three games.
“I have to play better,” said Rodgers, who has five interceptions in the past three games. “That’s the key, I have to play better. We have to find a way to run the ball better so we can play-action pass.”
Momentum Shifts After Rodgers’ Interception Before Halftime
The Jets started strong, taking a 15-6 lead after Rodgers connected with tight end Tyler Conklin for a 1-yard touchdown. But momentum shifted just before halftime when Rodgers threw an interception intended for Wilson, allowing the Steelers to score and narrow the lead to 15-13.
“A s—ty interception,” Rodgers called it, taking the blame.
“It felt like the energy — and it starts with me — the energy, for whatever reason at halftime, was a little flat,” Rodgers said. “It felt like it was flat before the game too. … So I look at myself and what I can do to bring better energy, but we all have to do better.”
Rodgers added: “I mean, ‘Sunday Night Football’ on NBC, the only show on TV. I live for these games and I just don’t quite understand why the energy was a little bit flat.”
Adams, who played his first game after missing time with a hamstring injury, managed only three catches for 30 yards. Despite the tough night, he expressed optimism about the offense’s potential, pointing to the talent on the field.
“I’m fired up, man,” he said. “I’m in a bad mood — we lost the game — … but I’m still fired up about what this football team can do. There’s a lot of talent. I mean, the offense that we have, the weapons that we have, when I’m in the huddle today multiple times I’m just looking around [at the talent] and it’s kind of crazy.”
Rodgers’ Limited Mobility Affects Downfield Passing
Rodgers, appearing limited by a left hamstring issue, completed 24 of 39 passes for 276 yards but struggled to push the ball downfield, with his longest pass covering just 19 yards. His most productive connection came with running back Breece Hall, who caught six passes for 103 yards.
In the second half, a promising drive ended when a pass bounced off Wilson’s hands and into Bishop’s, leading to a Steelers touchdown.
“I got to catch the damn ball,” Wilson said. “I’m playing like s— right now. Got to fix it. I don’t take that lightly. That was the reason we lost the game at the end of the day. [That] s— can’t happen. Can’t happen. It’s a terrible play. “It’s like a culmination of me getting bad habits, not attacking the ball in the game and, all of a sudden, I got to fix it. I’ve got good hands. I’ve got to go use my hands and catch the damn ball.”
Interim Coach Ulbrich Calls for Improvement After Fourth Straight Loss
The Jets, who entered the season with high expectations, now face a critical matchup against the 1-6 New England Patriots. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, who replaced Robert Saleh earlier this month, emphasized that the team’s second-half performance doesn’t reflect their true potential.
“That game, especially that second half, that’s not who this team is,” Ulbrich said. “It’s not good enough and that starts with me and the coaching staff. We can all give more and we will give more. We have what we need. That’s not who we are. Extremely disappointed.”
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This report used information from ESPN.
