NFLRT 10/11/2024

The questions and discussion…

1) In the New York Jets loss this past weekend to the Minnesota Vikings Aaron Rodgers threw 54 times completing only 29 for a mediocre 53.7% passing percentage. While he did have 2 TD passes he also had 3 INTs and for the year his passing percentage is a so-so 61% (26^th overall) for 1,093 yards (14^th), 7 TDs (9^th) and those 4 INTs  which is tied for the 7^th overall in that negative category.

In the Vikings game the running game was essentially non-existent as the Jets ran for just 36 yards as a team.

At the five game mark in the NFL regular season the Jets offense stands at 27^th overall… passing is (16^th)  and rushing is (32^nd) or dead last.

Can the Jets offense, and by extension Aaron Rodgers, be fixed or is this another lost season where the Jets are once again are destined to be out the playoffs? Why or why not?

And let’s ask the question… Is Aaron Rodgers washed up as a starting QB in the NFL? Why or why not?

I think the Jets’ offense can be fixed. They have some minor problems, but the rushing game needs to get going. I’m not sure what’s going on with Breece Hall this season, but he hasn’t been his usual self. If he gets going, and Rodgers limits his mistakes, this offense has a lot of potential to move on.

What I think will be able to fix the problems is going after Adams. Get Rodgers a familiar face, another top receiver to counter Garrett Wilson and give the Jets a plethora of weapons. But the three interceptions in the Minnesota game was definitely on Aaron Rodgers. They just weren’t good throws and shouldn’t be happening. However, mistakes happen, and Rodgers usually limits mistakes so I don’t think this is going to be a common occurrence.

As far as is Rodgers washed, no, I don’t think so. Throughout the season, there’s been points and games where he has shown his skill. Perfect throws, quick throws right into perfect spots. He moved the offense right down the field. He still has it. He can still be a dominant NFL quarterback. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him turn it on after the firing of Robert Saleh and really explode if the Adams trade gets done. 

I’ve seen Rodgers perform this season and as a Jets fan, who has seen a whole boatload of so-called franchise (and mostly failed) QBs through the years, I have to say there is a distinct and marked improvement in how this Jets offense operates with Rodgers QB than any other relatively recent QB that the Jets have had at that QB trying to run the offense.

So as far as Rodgers being washed up? No, I don’t think so. He’s going to have a bad game now and again… yes, he is on the other side of 40 but Rodgers is a fanatic about being healthy and taking care of his body, both nutritionally and in being in tip top shape, and from what  I have seen from watching him in games so far his arm is still capable of making the throws he needs to make and doing it with nice crisp, accurate passes… at least most of times the passes are crisp and accurate anyway.  

Now, can this offense be fixed… become more efficient and potent?

Yep, it can.

And I think with the recent changes the team has made at head coach and offensive coordinator (Saleh fired and Hackett no longer calling plays for the offense) will go a long way to beginning to iron out some of the problems that Rodgers and the offense have had at times if not in entire games.

I don’t think it’s any secret why the Jets hired Hackett in the first place but whatever transpired between Rodgers and him was years ago and it just ain’t there anymore and its time everyone moved on. A new offensive coordinator, in my opinion, is going to do worlds of good in beginning to apply the necessary fixes to making the Jets offense much improved in how it performs on the field and ultimately in how many points it scores… especially when in the red zone.

2) The NFL’s best rushing duo in a single season is QB Robert Griffin III and RB Alfred Morris of Washington in 2012, who combined for 2,428 rushing yards. Only twice have an NFL QB and RB had each player rush for at least 1,000 yards a piece… Michael Vick and Warrick Dun for the 2006 Falcons and Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram II for the 2019 Ravens.

So far in this still early NFL season the Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s and QB Lamar Jackson’s total of 935 rushing yards… Henry (572 yards) and Jackson (363 yards)… not only leads the league but is the most by QB/RB duo through five team games in NFL history. Henry is on pace for 1,945 yards and Jackson for 1,234.

This regular NFL season will Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson set a boat load of new records in the NFL including, but necessarily limited to, the most rushing yards ever by two players on the same team as well as the most rushing yards ever by a QB/RB duo? In short are Henry and Jackson the best rushing duo in the NFL this season and when the season ends will these two players arguably have a claim to the title of being the best ever rushing duo to have played in any single NFL season? Why or why not?

And will Jackson break the record of most rushing yards by a QB… which he presently owns when he ran for 1,206 yards in 2019… in a single season? Why or why not?

Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson are already the best quarterback-running back rushing duo in NFL history.

Lamar Jackson is one of the best rushing quarterbacks of all-time, right along Michael Vick and Cam Newton. Lamar Jackson can take off and rush at any point in time, gain a lot of yards, and can disguise pass plays perfectly into quarterback rushes or scrambles. His ability to make big-time throws, as well, is what makes his rushing ability that more dangerous.

Derrick Henry has shown that he still has it, exploding for an 87-yard rush that was untouched. He still has it. He can keep rushing over and over and over and not slow down. He recently surpassed 10,000 rushing yards and 100 rushing touchdowns in his career.

Jackson and Henry will definitely end the season as the best quarterback-rushing back duo for a season in NFL history.

Lamar Jackson will break his own record of 1,206 rushing yards in 2019. Not only is he rushing at a bigger pace than he was back in 2019, but he also has a dominant rushing attack outside of him with Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. Having that extra running back makes teams a lot more prone to allowing bigger rushing plays from the quarterback, especially on pass plays. I think he’s going to surpass the 1,300 yard mark this season and combine for over 3,000 rushing yards between the two players. 

Barring injury… when the regular season ends Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will own the records for the most rushing yards ever by two players on the same team as well as being the best ever QB/RB duo to probably have ever played the game… at least in so far as rushing yards are considered.

Before the Ravens play a down in Week 6, Henry already has 572 rushing yards putting him on pace to gain over 1,900 for the season.   

And Jackson has 363 putting him on pace to gain about 1.234 on the ground which would break his own NFL record (1,206 yards set in 2019) for most yards by a QB in a single season.

Again barring injury and saying these two guys continue performing at the levels they are currently achieving then…

Lamar Jackson and Dereck Henry should not only set a record for most rushing yards by any RB/QB combo ever but also as any two players on the same team as well and they will do it in grand fashion by combining for over 3,000 ground yards  and shattering the present records.

3) Last week NFLRT essentially lambasted the Jacksonville Jaguars as a not so good NFL team and asked if head coach Doug Pederson’s job is safe. Then in Week 5 QB Trevor Lawrence, whose short NFL career has been shaky at best in most games, threw for a career-high 371 yards with 2 TD as he led Jacksonville to points on 7 of 12 possessions and the team’s first win of the season.

Has Pederson “fixed” Trevor Lawrence and in doing so not only secured his job for the season but for his foreseeable NFL future as well? Why or  why not?

Doug Pederson has not fixed Trevor Lawrence yet. I think that he has the ability to fix him, but I don’t think a game against a Colts’ team that hasn’t won in Jacksonville in the last four-five seasons and has a super poor defense this season would classify as fixed. Nor has this secured his job for the season. The Jaguars are going to need multiple games strung along that are positive and getting them going against the Bears and keeping the momentum from the Indianapolis game is going to help, especially during a time where they’ve had to change their schedule due to Hurricane Milton and also flying to London for the next two weeks. If they can get the offense going on a string of a couple of games, I think then we can open this conversation back up and re-evaluate the situation. But right now, they still have work to do all around the board. 

As in my answer to question 1 when suggest that Aaron Rodgers is not washed up t just because he threw 3 INTs in a game in Week 5, the same logic goes here also… one exceptional game by Lawrence doesn’t mean a QB who in his so far short and limited NFL career has been so-so at best is now automatically fixed… or as Bill Parcells once said… “Don’t put him in the Hall of Fame yet.”

4) Heading into Week 6 only two NFL teams are undefeated… the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Will either team equal the Miami Dolphins feat of having had an undefeated championship season? Why or why not

And if not then which team loses first? Why?

I don’t think we’re going to see a team match the perfect 14-0, 1972 Miami Dolphins’ squad. However, I do think that we’ll see a team with only two losses in the Kansas City Chiefs. They have the ability to close out games and, despite games being close, still pull out victories in tight matchups led by the veteran leadership of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones.

I think the Minnesota Vikings are going to be the first team to fall as their main offensive point is their quarterback, Sam Darnold, who is only emerging as a player who is attempting to show his worth as a top overall pick in the NFL Draft, However, I don’t trust Sam Darnold to be the catalyst and keep the Vikings in the lead or play from behind. As we saw against the Green Bay Packers, they almost let a 28-0 lead slip away (outside of a late-game field goal). Sam Darnold had no touchdowns, one interception and took four sacks. The Vikings’ defense and Aaron Rodgers’ three interceptions saved him. Taking 14 sacks are going to take their toll on him. Not excelling at the quarterback position is going rear its head and expose the offense and give the Vikings some troubles. They also have an early bye, so the rest of the season is going to give them some trouble and result in some losses. 

No neither team will go undefeated and considering the two teams involved I feel confident in saying that.

For whatever reason in KC’s recent run of dominance it seems every year they have at least one game, and usually it is more like two games, where they play a team they should wallop and just don’t have it that day and wind up losing. I expect that trend to continue this year, too…  so, no, the Chiefs ain’t going undefeated this season.

And Minnesota? They got Sam Darnold. Despite Darnold playing as well as he has so far this year it’s not like he is the biggest reason why the Vikings are presently undefeated. For instance in the Vikings 23-17 win against the Jets in Week 5 Darnold went a very pedestrian 14/31 for 179 yards with no TDs and an INT. If not for Rodgers throwing 3 INTs the Vikings don’t even come close to winning the game. The Vikings, down the road, will be facing some teams with some damn good offenses and Darnold will have a game very similar to the game he had against the Jets and the opposing QB won’t be throwing no 3 INTs to give Darnold or the Vikings any gift wins.

Vikings don’t go undefeated and of these two teams the Vikings are the most likely to lose first.

5) What is your reaction to the Jets firing HC Robert Saleh? Why?  

I think the Jets are making a knee-jerk reaction to losing in London where Woody Johnson was recently an US ambassador for. However, I think this is going to turn out to be a good thing for the Jets.

The Jets have had a lot of problems and Saleh was on the hot seat after last season’s struggles. With the team having disappointing results this season with Aaron Rodgers coming back, they needed some changes, and they wanted to take the head coach and see if that change is going to make the turnaround they need. If the Jets don’t make a turnaround and start winning games, then it’s going to look bad on firing the head coach already. I think there was more internal things going on that wasn’t aligning and led to the firing. The loss against the Vikings with poor overall play was the final straw. 

Unless the Jets won and made the playoffs this season Saleh’s job was gone. But to can his butt this early in the season, especially when they have a shot to tie for the division lead when they play Buffalo in Week 6, I  think it is too much of a kneejerk reaction by owner Woody Johnson.

Now if they were to just remove the offensive coordinator Hackett… which they just did any way and which according to the NY press Saleh himself was about to do before he was fired… then that would have been the logical move that Johnson should have OKed. But firing Saleh now when the season is still far from lost? Too early and too kneejerky.

6) This week the New England Patriots HC Jerod Mayo that in Week 6 Drake Maye will replace Jacoby Brissett as the starting QB for Patriots.

In your opinion how does this move by the Patriots effect their on-field product and ultimately does it turn the team into winning franchise for the 2024/25 seson? Why? 

I think the quarterback switch in New England is going to be rough going at the start. The team is not good. As we all saw when Jacoby Brisset was operating quarterback, he was running for his life on a lot of plays. He was taking a beating behind the Patriots’ offensive line. They do have some potential, but the quarterback has to be able to take a little bit of a beating and power through that. Putting a rookie in this situation could be poor for their development. But, giving them a long leash and making sure that they don’t have any confidence shakiness with the beating and poor performances is going to be key. Working with them and letting Drake Maye know that every game is a learning opportunity and development is going to be key.

I think Drake Maye should’ve been the starting quarterback for New England as he is their best option at the position. However, with the roster’s current construction, I think it’s going to be rough and letting him watch might not be the worst decision. With him starting, he could give the Patriots the spark they need on offense, but I don’t think they’re going to be much higher than a top five pick in next year’s NFL Draft come season’s end. I hope Drake Maye can weather the storm, get through to the off-season and develop and get better and not let this shake his confidence. 

Not sure if I were the HC I would be making this move with Maye right about now especially with how the Pats o-line is protecting the QB…17 sacks this year and that’s not counting the near take downs or times he does get taken down after he releases the ball.

This move could make him in a big way or break him in a big way. If he succeeds he could wind up being the shot in the Patriot’s offense that they need to be moving back into contention in the AFC.

Just not all that confident it’s gonna succeed however.