For the first time since being traded to the Jets in April of 2023, Aaron Rodgers led Gang Green to a victory, as the Gang Green traveled to Nashville and outlasted the Tennessee Titans 24-17.
Rookie running back Braelon Allen broke out for the Jets with two touchdowns while a late red-zone stand by the Jets defense
helped get Robert Saleh back to .500 on the season (1-1).
“These are really important games… when you’re trying to get in the playoffs,” Rodgers said. “Finding a way to win, that’s what really good teams do.”
Unfortunately for the Jets, it wasn’t all positive, as the team lost linebacker Jermaine Johnson to an Achilles injury midway through the third quarter. It is unknown at the time exactly what the injury is, but if it is major, it would be a big loss for the defense.
It was the Titans who opened the scoring, as Calvin Ridley took a handoff on a jet sweep into the end zone to give the Titans an early 7-0 lead. The Jets struggled to find any momentum in the first quarter offensively, as the team was forced to punt on their first three drives of the game.
The Jets’ defense was able to keep their offense in the game, as on the Titans’ third drive, quarterback Will Levis turned the ball over in the red zone. On their next offensive drive, a deep pass meant for Treylon Burks was picked off by Brandin Echols.
Rodgers and the offense finally found the end zone on their final drive of the half, as a 12-play 73-yard march was capped off by a
12-yard touchdown pass to Allen. The Titans’ final drive of the first half ended with a 41-yard field goal by Nick Folk, giving the Titans a 10-7 halftime lead.
The Jets opened the third quarter like they closed the second, with a passing touchdown to a running back. Only this time, it was Breece Hall who reeled in a 26-yard pass from Rodgers into the end zone, giving his team their first lead of the day.
“I screwed up the clock and we called a timeout,” Rodgers began. “And Breece comes over and goes, ”Hey throw me a go ball if there’s a [linebacker] out there.’ I said ‘OK.’ And that’s basically how it went.”
After each team had three and outs on their following drives, Irvin Charles blocked a Titans punt, which led to a Greg Zuerlein field goal, which gave the Jets a 17-10 lead. The Titans were able to tie the game when Levis dropped a perfect pass into the arms of free-agent acquisition Calvin Ridley for a 40-yard touchdown.
With the game tied 17-all with just over four minutes to go, Allen took a Rodgers handoff 20 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. New York’s defense hung tough despite the Titans driving down to the 14-yard line and forced a three-and-out to clinch the win.
Rodgers finished the game completing 18 of 30 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Hall led the team in rushing with 62 yards on 14 carries while Garrett Wilson’s four receptions for 57 yards were the most amongst all Jets receivers.
Levis, who imploded in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, improved in Week 2 against the Jets. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 192 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Former Cowboys running back Tony Pollard rushed for 62 yards on 17 carries, which led all Titans running backs, while Ridley’s 77 receiving yards led the hosts.
A short week awaits the Jets as they host the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.
