With their four wins towered over by their 11 losses, and the division lead- ing New England Patriots (10-5) on the schedule for their last game of the season Sunday, a road game, the New York Jets are winning in other ways than in the win column.
The Jets’ loss Sunday has moved them up to the third pick in the upcoming 2019 draft in April behind the Arizona Cardinals, currently 3-12, and the San Francis- co 49ers, also a 4-11 team. The Oakland Raiders, another 4- 11, held the second position until their win Monday night against the Denver Broncos, dropping them to the fourth pick. The Detroit Lions (5-10) would pick fifth.
Sunday’s 44-38 overtime loss by the Jets to the Green Bay Packers was a win in a way for the Jets because it gave their rookie quarterback, Sam Darnold, on-field experience against a seasoned veteran, former Super Bowl winner Aaron Rodgers, who played the road game although his team, like the Jets, has been eliminated from the playoffs. For Rodgers, who’ll miss the postseason twice in a row, playing mattered.
“I love competing in anything,” said Rodgers. “I don’t want to look back in 20 years and wonder, ‘What if I had played that game? Could something special have happened? What would it look like to my teammates if they knew I kind of quit on them?’ I hope my teammates know I’m never going to quit on them.”
Rodgers led Green Bay, throwing for 442 yards, two touchdown passes and two bootlegs, but it was a great game for Darnold. He threw for 341 yards, a ca- reer-high. He went 24 of 35 with passing touchdowns to receivers Robby Ander- son and Chris Herndon. Elijah McGuire also ran it in to score.
“As an offense, we’ve just got to finish,” Darnold said. “We had a chance to put the game away.” The Jets did, but they were victims of 16 penalties, resulting in 172 negative yards.
“I haven’t seen one like that in my 18, 19 years in the league,” said Jets head coach Todd Bowles. “I thought we were playing two teams. I though we were playing the Packers and the striped shirts.” The coach was highly critical of the officiating crew.
The Jets were also victims of Rodgers. The Packers won the coin toss and elected to receive in overtime, giving Rodgers one more opportunity to score. Pass interference calls on Trumaine Johnson and Buster Skrine helped move the Packers down field for the OT score.
Sunday’s Jets-Patriots game in New England will be the last regular season game for both teams. Like the Packers game, it’s more game time experience for Darnold. It’s not about a Jets’ victory, but how they play and who steps up. Who will ride with the rookie next year as the Jets take the next step?
The Patriots have already won the AFC division. They’re play for postseason positioning. It’s their 10th consecutive division title, putting them in position to compete for their sixth Super Bowl championship title during the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era.
