Without question, the biggest story of the NFL offseason was Aaron Rodgers, after 18 seasons in Green Bay, taking his talents to New York City to try to do the seemingly impossible — turn the New York Jets into a Super Bowl contender. The theater was so compelling that HBO chose the Jets as the subject for “Hard Knocks,” and the league made Rodgers’ Jets debut the first Monday Night Football game of the 2023 season.
Rodgers was going to be big box office in the biggest market of the free world. I’m guessing if you’re interested enough to click on a football story, though, then you’re a big enough football fan to know by now that Rodgers was able to lead the Jets crusade to relevance for all of four snaps before blowing out his Achilles tendon on Monday night in the first quarter of the Jets’ 22-16 win over Buffalo.
For visual effect, here is video of the injury itself, along with the Manning brothers reacting to it:
Even if you don’t like Aaron Rodgers, and I know many of you don’t, you have to admit that this is just a brutal turn of events. I’m guessing there are some Green Bay Packer fans, who likely seethed as they watched from afar Rodgers become so well adjusted as a Jet, after the last several months of being a malcontent in Green Bay, who gave a subtle nod to their buddies at the local tavern and whispered “Karma.” That’s what sports fandom does to a man. It makes you vengeful.
As for us, back here in Houston, this Rodgers season ending injury (hell, possibly career ending, right?) does have some tangential ties to the Texans. Here are three off the top of my head:
Yes, that was Texans legend Duane Brown who allowed the sack that injured Rodgers
When something as sports traumatic as a season ending injury to your legendary quarterback happens, the inclination is to find someone to blame. If I had to guess, I would surmise that former Houston Texans left tackle Duane Brown is catching a LOT of heat up in New York today, as he allowed the hit that effectively ended the Jets’ season four snaps in. To his credit, as he always did when he was a Texan, Duane Brown stood in and answered all the questions afterwards:
The Texans’ schedule (and path to a possible playoff berth?) got easier
The Houston Texans are set to play the Jets in Week 14 this season, in early December, at MetLife Stadium. Before the season started, that was one of the three hardest games on the Texans’ schedule, according to the oddsmakers. Now, without Rodgers, the Jets are your run of the mill “good defense, no quarterback,” average NFL team. That helps the Texans! Also, the Texans entered the season with a 15 percent chance at making the playoffs. Considering the Jets were one of the odds on favorites to get to the Super Bowl out of the AFC with Rodgers, it would seem that the playoff picture has loosened up slightly with this injury. Perhaps the Texans now have a whopping 17 percent chance at making the postseason now!
Nick Caserio’s phone should be ringing this week
If Jets backup QB, and former number two overall pick, Zach Wilson were the answer at quarterback, then the Jets never would have acquired Rodgers to begin with. So, it would appear that the Jets GM, Joe Douglas, should be on the phone with several teams trying to find a new solution to go win some games this season. BetOnline has the following odds for the next Jets QB acquisition:
Nick Foles 3/1
Colt McCoy 4/1
Taysom Hill 5/1
Davis Mills 7/1
Carson Wentz 8/1
Cooper Rush 10/1
Teddy Bridgewater 12/1
Taylor Heinicke 14/1
Case Keenum 16/1
Marcus Mariota 18/1
Tom Brady 20/1
Jameis Winston 22/1
Jacoby Brissett 25/1
Josh Johnson 25/1
Mason Rudolph 28/1
Tyrod Taylor 33/1
Andy Dalton 35/1
Gardner Minshew 40/1
Joe Flacco 40/1
Matt Ryan 50/1
Russell Wilson 75/1
Ryan Fitzpatrick 75/1
Andrew Luck 100/1
Tim Tebow 150/1
According to this odds board, Nick Caserio has a couple of hot items ob the rack for Douglas and the Jets! I would have no problem giving up either Mills or Keenum for a middle round draft pick. The Texans are still in a phase where they should stockpile picks, if they can. My preference would be to hold onto Keenum, as I think he still has a lot to offer C.J. Stroud as a mentor in the QB room.
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This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
