Aaron Rodgers has returned to the Jets’ facility full-time and the four-time MVP’s presence is providing a fresh perspective for a beaten-down team struggling to find itself.
“Coming in and seeing Aaron this morning actually, and they were doing treatment. A guy who is in there doing everything he can treatment-wise,” guard Laken Tomlinson said Monday. “For me, coming off the game we had and seeing him and how hard he’s been working, that was a motivator.
“That’s motivation for me. That’s one thing I can control, is my attitude towards my work and little things like that.”
Rodgers has been adamant about returning for the playoffs for his new team since he tore his Achilles four snaps into the season opener against the Bills.
The 39-year-old, who turns 40 on Saturday, may try to play again no matter where the Jets are in the standings.
The Jets need a spark whether or not Rodgers is on the field after suffering another tough loss to the Dolphins on Friday with new starting quarterback Tim Boyle, who replaced Zach Wilson — now the third-string quarterback.
“It’s just like anytime a person comes back from injury. They take time away from the facility to get better, see family. Then, once they’re back in the building, it’s just a breath of fresh air. You see a happy, friendly, familiar face,” linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “Just excited to actually go with him through this process of just him getting back on the field, getting healthier.
“He’s a well-respected vet and he’s been around a long time. So, just him being in the building, for the whole team really, it’s just another sign for us to keep taking it one day at a time, keep getting better.”
Rodgers was in a MetLife Stadium booth Friday wearing a headset.
He also mentored Wilson throughout the preseason and remotely while rehabbing his injury.
“Aaron has always been just with us regardless if he’s doing his own thing for his treatment or whatever. He’s always been with the team. Has always been with the guys,” said linebacker Jermaine Johnson. “So, I imagine it’s gonna be better, seeing him in meetings. Being able to go through all those things with him like that because he’s a great player. But, he’s a better teammate and a better guy off the field for sure.”
The defense has been worse over the last two weeks compared to the standard it demonstrated earlier in the season.
In the last four weeks, they’ve been outscored 109-37 and because the offense is unable to sustain drives, the defense has taken a physical hit, enduring more snaps.
On Monday, Johnson and Mosley said the defense was watching film, working on those adjustments to get better together.
Mosley said the group had a “good day” full of meetings to make sure they’re on the same page.
“We’re human. We’re not robots. We can’t be statistically 100 percent in every category and at the same time, we expect a lot out of ourselves on that side of the ball, for sure,” Johnson said about the defense’s struggles. “So, just gotta eliminate those plays that we have here and there. Those explosives, stuff like that.
“It’s not enough for us as a defense to just get a three-and-out. We got to get back to that mindset: Let’s try to get the ball off of them. Let’s try to get a turnover. So, just kind of getting back to that framework and just understanding that no matter what, we have a standard we have to uphold.”
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