Jets continue to look disjointed, lose to Steelers in first game of Aaron Rodgers-Davante Adams era
Jets wide receiver Davante Adams is brought down by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson, right, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the first half of an NFL game in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Credit: AP/Matt Freed
PITTSBURGH — Reunited, and it didn’t feel so good or look that good.
Aaron Rodgers and newly acquired Davante Adams played their first games as teammates since 2021 with Green Bay. They looked as if they hadn’t played together for a long time and the Jets looked disjointed overall in a 37-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium.
The Jets didn’t score in the second half and lost their fourth straight game, dropping to 2-5. The defense again had issues, allowing the Steelers to score on their last five possessions. Pittsburgh (5-2) scored 31 unanswered points to close out the game.
“That game, especially that second half, that’s not who this team is,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “That is not who we are. Extremely disappointed.”
Ulbrich was heated. He and several players used profanity.
The Jets hoped Adams could help with some of their offensive woes in his Jets debut.
He didn’t.
Rodgers completed 24 of 39 passes for 276 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He targeted Adams nine times and he caught three passes for 30 yards, none after halftime.
This was a game the Jets led 15-6 in the first half, and they were moving down the field again when Rodgers threw his first pick. The momentum completely shifted after that.
Rodgers’ pass intended for Garrett Wilson was picked off by Beanie Bishop Jr. at the Steelers’ 46. Pittsburgh turned that into George Pickens’ 11-yard touchdown catch with 27 seconds to go.
“It was a bad throw,” Rodgers said. “I should have just dumped underneath. That play for whatever reason just changed the entire energy, changed the game.”
Rodgers said he felt the Jets were flat before the game and at halftime. The person who was kicking himself the most was Wilson. He was responsible for Rodgers’ second interception with the Jets down 16-15. Rodgers’ pass bounced off Wilson’s chest and into Bishop’s hands, and he took it 41 yards to the Jets’ 1.
Jets right guard Xavier Newman was knocked out of the game on a block by Patrick Queen on the return. Newman left on a backboard with a neck injury but flew home with the team.
When play resumed, Russell Wilson — making his Steelers debut — punched it in and Pittsburgh led 23-15.
“I got to catch that,” Garrett Wilson said. “I’m playing like [expletive] right now. I got to fix it. I don’t take it light. That play that was the reason we lost the game at the end of the day. That [expletive] can’t happen. It’s a terrible play.”
The Steelers piled on from there, taking advantage of the Jets’ mistakes, which included a blocked field-goal try by Greg Zuerlein and failing to convert on second-and-5, third-and-5 and fourth-and-5 from the Steelers’ 25 with the score 30-15 midway through the fourth.
Wilson finished with five catches for 61 yards. Breece Hall carried the Jets offensively. He rushed for 38 yards and a touchdown and had six catches for 103 yards.
Russell Wilson played well, going 16-for-29 for 264 yards, two touchdowns and a rushing TD. Pickens had five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. Najee Harris ran for 102 yards and scored on a 10-yard run with 26 seconds left, rubbing salt in the Jets’ wounds.
The Jets hope their defense will get a boost this week. Edge rusher Haason Reddick is ending his holdout and will report to the Jets’ facility on Monday. There still is time for the Jets to turn the season around, but it has to happen quickly.
“I’m in a bad mood, quote-unquote, because we lost the game,” Adams said. “But I’m still fired up about what this football team can do. It’s a lot of talent. The offense that we got, the weapons that we have, when I’m in the huddle, most of the time I’m looking around and it’s kind of crazy. That’s almost what [ticks] you off even more, knowing that you got those type of weapons and to come up short and put up 15 points.”
Welcome to the Jets, Davante.
Notes & quotes: Mike Williams played and caught one pass. There have been rumblings about the Jets trading Williams, perhaps to the Steelers. Those talks could pick up again Monday . . . Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) and safety Tony Adams (hamstring) exited the game in the first half.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
