Week 18: Jets Win/Rodgers Is An Asshole

Jets/Giants Follies 

I did not expect much from the NY Jets last season. Joe Flacco stole one from the Browns (an onside kick was involved). If they simply beat the Pats (they surely had a shot; the Pats were not good) once, I probably would have been satisfied. Didn't happen. 

The NY Giants had a misleading record. They got to the playoffs and even had an upset (they were due) versus the Vikings. Nonetheless, they didn't win much after a promising start. They then ended with an embarrassing (was not going to win, but it was embarrassing) playoff loss to the Eagles. 

Both teams seemed to have a shot this season, especially with Aaron Rodgers. You saw how things went though there were some nice moments, including "not Danny DeVito's son" Tommy Cutlets doing his things. 

The Giants also managed to win multiple games (including against the Jets) they should have won. A possible upset last week was excruciating for those who actually cared. They made so many mistakes down to stupid decisions late that basically assumed an old replacement kicker (who already missed an XP) would make a 50+ yard field goal.  

Aaron Rodgers famously got hurt after a few plays. Let me note that the fact "everybody cheered" when they got him is bullshit. The fact Mike Lupica tosses in how "everybody" was "hopeful" a 39-year-old going on 40, whose team was eliminated (after a mediocre season) by an already eliminated team would still have magic is telling.

I didn't want the guy. I worried he was too old. I worried he would get injured. I saw that when years back the Jets signed Brett Favre, another dubious off-the-field guy.  

I thought the Jets had a great defense. The thing to do would be to sign a younger journeyman. Meanwhile, sooner than later, try to draft a QB of the future. Plus, with the anti-vax bullshit, the guy poisoned the well.

I was not the only one who felt that way. Plus, if you DO sign the guy, make sure you have a decent backup. Not the guy you sat with last season since he didn't have what it took (even if he teased you at times). 

They did not. I did not blame them for avoiding Joe "off the couch, into the playoffs" Flacco. He surely didn't thrive when he was on the Jets. But, get someone like that. A career player who you can trust. Something like the guy playing backup for the Giants. Though he has been a mixed bag. 

Aaron Rodgers (who some spun as having some remarkable recovery but in the end seemed not somehow a Superman on that front and was given the "most inspirational" award by his teammates ... okay) continued to shoot off his mouth. A line was crossed when he "playfully" accused Jimmy Kimmel of being on the latest Jeff Epstein (the sex offender) list.

"Dear (expletive): for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein," Kimmel responded, "nor will you find my name on any 'list' other than the clearly phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality. Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court."

The USA Today analysis (including linking an article reporting he was paid millions for being on the ESPN talk show involved) provides helpful details. This includes Rodgers' tendency to hold grudges and how Kimmel has been on him for a while, particularly because of the anti-vax bit. Kimmel has a personal reason to care about good health care. 

I don't want this asshole to QB the Jets in 2024. They signed a lousy offense coordinator because he was "Aaron's guy" and it showed in 2024. I saw Brett Favre have a good half-plus season and then freefall at the end. What if Rodgers even has a good season?  He's over 40 years old. 

The Jets need to look long-term. Not aim for the short-term shiny glass  "everybody" supposedly wanted.  At the very least, the Jets need to find a decent backup. The NFL is filled with starting back-ups, sometimes teams are on second or third back-ups now. Or even fourth. The Jets played three. 

The Giants don't even have the "well we have Rodgers for a season" line to take in 2024. Their supposed post-Eli Manning QB repeatedly scuffled, had injuries, or teased with just enough good play to build hope. They need to find a new QB. Tommy DeVito? Tad too early to tell. It would not be out of the range of possibility that he will start in 2024. 

Week 18

Anyway. I'm not sure what the extra week does other than maybe give more fodder for games on Thursday to Saturday or on NFL Network / whatever platform that I don't have playing them. The Pro Game (dubiously placed after the season) was never great. Now it is a bit of a joke.

There was a lot of parity this season, for good or ill, including elite teams playing dubious football. The Bills shuffled along. San Francisco decided to lose a few games straight. Dallas and the Eagles didn't show up for various games. The Eagles managed to lose to the Jets and the Cardinals.  

I wonder if there ever was more backup play, including on playoff or playoff wannabes. After twenty years and multiple mediocre non-Tom Brady years, there also was truly a bloom off the hoodie. And, even with a dubious bit of officiating hurting Detroit, the last set of games counted for many teams. That is basically the aim.  

This excitement level was shown in the Saturday Night game with playoff implications. The evening game was one of multiple games with "winner gets in" or "winner gets the division" implications. 

The Houston Texans, with an exciting rookie, beat the Colts (with a backup that is on lists for a backup QB for the Jets in 2024) with a fourth down stop with about a minute left. The Colts opted with the encroachment maneuver to get the first down. It failed. The time-out robbed them of forty seconds of the clock -- the Texans literally left a second on the clock. 

Houston then hoped for an upset of the Jags (flawed) by a lowly team with some ability to do that. The Steelers won a close one on a wet field against the Ravens, who were just trying to get ready for the playoffs (they have a first-round bye). Now, they had to hope for one of various scenarios (two fairly possible) to sneak into the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Steelers' win means the Jaguars have to win or be eliminated.  

You can check all the end results here.  

For now, my playoff cheers will go to the (thanks to a Jags loss) division-winning Houston Texans. Winning the final game last season (it took a lot, by the way; it was basically given to them), didn't hurt in the end! Steelers got in too. They are nice underdogs to root for too. 

The Bills? Figure they will find a way to be eliminated. But, even if they don't beat the Dolphins tonight to get the division, that Jags loss meant they too are in as a wildcard. So, I'll end here. 

Oh, yes. Jets and Giants.

It looked iffy with an "oh no, not again" flub late, but the Jets did finally end that long losing streak versus the Pats. They grinded out a game in the snow (at home) and went ahead 17-3 late, even getting that two-point conversion play to really seal the deal. You can move on now, hoodie.  

Giants up 24-0 vs. the Eagles. I better not have to update this.  Should have been at least 27-0, but they traded interceptions with one minute left in the half. The Eagles QB is hurt. Might have been hurt already, but he's out as of this writing. Again, I better not have to update this.