Jets' Aaron Rodgers throws for two TDs, rookie Braelon Allen scores twice to defeat Titans
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) sets back to pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn., on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) Credit: AP/George Walker IV
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The oldest player in the NFL and the youngest one helped lead the Jets to their first victory of the season.
Aaron Rodgers, 40, threw two touchdown passes and 20-year-old rookie running back Braelon Allen had a rushing and a receiving score to lift the Jets to a 24-17 win over the Titans on Sunday afternoon at Nissan Stadium.
Allen had a 20-yard touchdown run with 4:31 left in the game to break a 17-17 tie. The Jets’ defense came up with a big stop late in the fourth quarter, forcing Titans quarterback Will Levis to throw an incompletion on fourth-and-goal from the Jets’ 14 with 17 seconds left.
The play helped seal a win that Rodgers believes could loom large later in the year.
“These are really important games late in the season when you’re trying to get in the playoffs,” Rodgers said. “It was a hot day, short week, very good defense, start off really slow but finding a way to win. That’s what really good teams do.”
The Jets had to show plenty of resilience to get the victory. They lost two key defensive players in the game. One of them appears to be done for the season.
Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson was carted off in the third quarter and the Jets fear he suffered a torn Achilles. Johnson will undergo further testing. Linebacker C.J. Mosley left early in the second quarter with a toe injury. The Jets already were without starting cornerback D.J. Reed due to knee soreness.
For stretches of the game, the defense, which had been vilified for its performance last Monday in San Francisco, looked like it hadn’t corrected its issues stopping the run. But in the end, it ultimately redeemed itself.
It got dicey, though.
With 1:30 left in the game, Levis escaped a sack and ran 13 yards to the Jets’ 10 for a first down. Later in the drive, on third down from the 8, Will McDonald sacked Levis with under 30 seconds remaining. On the ensuing play, Levis’ pass to Tyler Boyd was broken up by Tony Adams and the Jets (1-1) celebrated the win.
“Overall, the guys stood up,” Robert Saleh said.
McDonald, last year’s first-round pick, had three sacks, matching his total from his rookie season. On the final one, he would not be denied. “In my mind I was just thinking, all right, win this one-on-one, we win the game,” McDonald said.
Rodgers was efficient. He completed 18 of 30 passes for 176 yards. Breece Hall had 119 yards from scrimmage and had a 26-yard touchdown reception to give the Jets their first lead, 14-10, early in the second half. Allen had the first two touchdowns of his career.
Levis went 19-for-28 passing for 192 yards, a touchdown, an interception and a fumble. Calvin Ridley, who caught four passes for 77 yards, had one rushing and one receiving touchdown.
This was the kind of game the Jets would likely lose in recent years, but having Rodgers to settle them down the stretch in a tight game proved indispensable.
“There’s been some times last year where there were some negative vibes going at times,” Rodgers said. “It felt like, ‘Here we go again, we’re not going to win this one.’ I just don’t want us to ever get in that spot.
The Jets were leading 17-10 with 5:38 left in the third quarter when their defense gave up a big play. Ridley made a tumbling catch in between Sauce Gardner and Chuck Clark and rolled into the end zone for a 40-yard score.
“I still don’t know how he caught that ball,” Gardner said.
The score stayed that way until Rodgers led a seven-play, 74-yard touchdown drive. Five different Jets touched the ball on the series.
“He’s able to dial everybody in, make sure everybody’s on the same page,” Allen said. “He’s just like a conductor.”
On third-and-1 with 7:11 left, Rodgers threw it up for Garrett Wilson in single coverage, who turned and caught the pass for a 26-yard gain to the Tennessee 39. Rodgers said Wilson “was Gumby out there.”
Two plays later, on second-and-16, Rodgers threw it on the left sideline to Mike Williams, who made a great catch in traffic for a 19-yard gain to the 26. After a 6-yard reception by Hall, the Jets handed it off to Allen, who sprinted past the Titans’ defense.
Right tackle Morgan Moses and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker cleared a huge hole, helped by a key block by Lindenhurst’s Jeremy Ruckert.
“It doesn’t get much easier than that,” Allen said. “My Nana could have probably scored on that one.”
The Jets also got key contributions from other unheralded players.
Irv Charles had two big special teams tackles and blocked a punt that went out of bounds at the Tennessee 30. The Jets had a chance to extend their lead to 21-10 in the middle of the third quarter, but the offense stalled at the 15. Greg Zuerlein’s 33-yard field goal made it 17-10.
Rodgers said they’re still growing.
“Great teams, when you’re up 14-10, you block a punt, you’d score a touchdown to go up two scores,” he said. “We’re not quite there yet. But good teams can close out games in tough environments. We’ll be really thankful for this I hope down the road.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
