Jets pick up wins off the field; now they need to go get some on the field
Davante Adams of the Jets warms up prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday in Pittsburgh. Credit: Getty Images/Joe Sargent
PITTSBURGH — The Jets’ transformation from a last-place laughingstock to a contender still is not complete. The events of this past week have raised expectations again and probably have some jumping back on the bandwagon.
In a matter of six days, the Jets added a perennial Pro Bowl receiver and got their two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher to end his holdout.
Davante Adams was acquired from the Raiders on Tuesday and made his Jets debut on Sunday night against the Steelers. Haason Reddick, whom the Jets obtained in a trade in March, finally will report on Monday.
The season hasn’t started the way the Jets expected. They were 2-4 heading into Sunday’s game, but there’s still plenty of time to change things and make a playoff run.
All eyes were on Adams and Aaron Rodgers on Sunday night, though. After a 2 1⁄2-year separation, they again took the field as teammates.
They hoped to pick up where they left off and do for the Jets what they did most of their time together in Green Bay. They were 33-9 in games in which both played from 2019-21 and reached two conference championship games.
“A lot of the success me and Aaron had is because we were on the same page,” Adams said. “He understands how I see the game and how I see the ball thrown and all those things.”
The Jets were 2-14 in 2020, the year before Robert Saleh arrived. Saleh helped put together a roster that many believed could snap the franchise’s 13-year playoff drought and contend for a Super Bowl this season, but Saleh was fired on Oct. 8.
The Jets never lost hope that they could have a good season. Adams and now Reddick have refueled that fire.
Neither one is the savior, just as Rodgers wasn’t when the Jets acquired him last year. They need the offensive line, their run defense and the kicking game to improve, and they need to commit fewer penalties.
Both new players could give the Jets a lift, though. Reddick’s presence could take double-teams away from underperforming Quinnen Williams and Rodgers and Adams together could help lift the Jets’ struggling offense.
“Tae’s been a monster in the red zone over the years,” Rodgers said. “A lot of on-schedule and off-schedule touchdowns. I think he can help teach the young guys who are willing and eager to listen and learn because he’s a master of route-running and releases and always working on his craft.”
Garrett Wilson is the primary young guy Rodgers was referring to. Making sure Wilson is happy and wants to remain a Jet is imperative, too.
After the Adams acquisition, Wilson tweeted “We gotta GO, and we gotta do it NOW!”
For the Jets to make something of this season, this rings true even more now.
Notes & quotes: WR Mike Williams was active. There have been rumblings about the Jets trading him, perhaps to the Steelers. Those talks could pick up again Monday.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
