Emotions were running high and expectations were astronomical for the New York Jets entering their home opener in Week 1 versus the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. All of that was put on pause early in the game once Aaron Rodgers exited with an injury, forcing the experienced quarterback to get carted to the tunnel.
Once Rodgers went down with the injury, all seemed to be lost for the Jets, but Robert Saleh’s squad held strong and made plays when they needed it most. Following an exciting finish to the first week of the season, we have six immediate takeaways from the Jets’ impressive come-from-behind win agains the Bills.
The Aaron Rodgers injury looms large
On New York’s opening drive on offense, Rodgers was taken to the ground awkwardly. The entire stadium grew silent and everyone held their collective breath. The future Hall of Famer would immediately know something was wrong when he got up from the hit as he was unable to put much pressure on his leg.
Rodgers would head to the medical tent before going to the locker room to undergo further testing. It wasn’t long before Rodgers was ruled out for the rest of the game and Zach Wilson was asked to step in. Saleh revealed after the game that the fear is an Achilles injury for Rodgers.
With Rodgers sidelined, it’ll be interesting to see if the Jets instill their trust in Wilson… again.
Breece Hall looked really good in his first game back from injury
Ahead of Monday’s season opener, many were anxious to see how the Jets deployed Breece Hall and how the second-year back would look upon his return from a torn ACL. Hall didn’t wait long to show that he’s still explosive with a 26-yard run on the very first play of New York’s first offensive drive of the game.
Hall would then break off an 83-yard run in the second quarter before being caught from behind by a defender, which probably wouldn’t have happened a season ago. Even on a night when fans were disappointed early in the contest, the dynamic back was a bright spot in the offense, finishing with 127 yards on 10 attempts. It was great to see Hall show positive signs in his return despite receiving a limited workload.
The offensive line still seems to be a major concern
With the addition of Rodgers and the defense expecting to be an elite unit, the offensive line was the question mark entering the season. Robert Saleh expressed frustration with the offensive line during the offseason, and despite making changes, there are still concerns up front for the Jets.
From the moment the game began, the offensive line was inconsistent and showed signs of still being an overlying issue early in the season. Regardless of who is under center moving forward, the Jets are going to need better play from the offensive line if the offense is going to reach it’s potential.
The pass rush is alive and well
The Jets boasted one of the best defenses in 2022, and the pass-rushing unit was a large reason why. To begin the 2023 season, the pass rush was wreaking havoc again, tallying five sacks on Josh Allen.
Four different players recorded a sack on Monday night, with Quinton Jefferson leading the way with two sacks. Even when Allen wasn’t getting sacked, he was under immense pressure from New York’s pass rushers. The Jets boast one of the deepest pass-rushing groups in the NFL and they unquestionably showed that in the win over the Bills in Week 1.
Jordan Whitehead and the secondary came to play
Jordan Whitehead was fantastic in Monday’s as he logged three interceptions and three pass breakups. Besides the pass rush, the secondary forced Allen into errant throws on Monday night by forcing him to make throws into tight coverages.
The secondary was a strength of the defense a season ago with Sauce Gardner emerging as a star in his rookie campaign. While Gardner and D.J. Reed deservedly get a lot of love for their performances, Whitehead continues to show that he’s an underrated safety in the league.
Xavier Gipson comes up clutch
The defense of the Jets deserves a ton of credit for slowing down the Bills all game, including the first drive of overtime, preventing Buffalo from getting a single first down. After stopping the Bills, it was Xavier Gipson who would put the bow on the game by returning the punt 65 yards to give the Jets the victory at home.
Gipson, an undrafted rookie, made a name for himself on special teams throughout training camp and the preseason. The first-year receiver would make the 53-man roster following the retirement of Corey Davis, and he makes a crucial play when the Jets needed it the most. For Gipson’s sake, hopefully he kept the ball that he caught on his punt return touchdown as a souvenir.
