Three takeaways from the Jets' Week 17 loss to the Bills
Tyrod Taylor of the Jets throws a pass during the fourth quarter of a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y. Credit: Getty Images/Timothy T Ludwig
ORCHARD PARK
1. There’s no quarterback controversy — yet
Tyrod Taylor finished the Jets’ 40-14 loss to Buffalo on Sunday and led their only two touchdown drives, but Aaron Rodgers will start next week’s finale against the Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said that’s the plan, barring injury.
Perhaps the only thing that could change that is if owner Woody Johnson goes to Ulbrich and directs him to start Taylor, who very well could be the Jets’ starting quarterback next season.
Rodgers should get the chance to finish what he started. It hasn’t gone well, but the future Hall of Famer needs one touchdown pass to join the monumental 500 club. Only four other players are in that group. Rodgers has been stuck on 499 for 14 series now. His last touchdown pass — and touchdown drive that he’s led — was the Jets’ opening series last week. He had his opportunities again on Sunday, but bad decisions and throws cost him. Next week’s game could be his last with the Jets and in his career. Considering how this season has gone, it would be fitting if Rodgers didn’t hit 500.
2. The Jets are so undisciplined
This one got silly. On the opening drive of the game, there were five penalties, three of them on the Jets — and it got worse from there. The Jets continue to be a very undisciplined football team. They had 16 accepted penalties for 120 yards. It’s the most they’ve had in a game since 2018. They also had five personal fouls, including one on Rodgers. Davante Adams said he’s “surprised” and “disappointed” with how often the Jets are flagged.
The Jets are the most penalized team in the NFL this season with 131.
Ulbrich said he’s got to get his message across better to his players. “You got to do what’s right for the team over what’s right for you,” he said. “We’re losing touch with that too often.”
This was the third time in the last five games that the Jets had at least 10 accepted penalties. They seem to lose control when they play the Bills. The Jets have 27 penalties for 230 yards in two games against Buffalo.
3. Be more aggressive, Coach
Ulbrich can’t win. He was criticized last week for being too aggressive after the Jets failed to convert three fourth downs, including one on their own 33. The Jets went for it only once on fourth down on Sunday: Braelon Allen was stuffed on fourth-and-1 at the Buffalo 24 on the opening drive.
The Jets lined up to go for it on fourth-and-5 at the Buffalo 37 to start the third quarter. Instead, they were flagged for a delay-of-game penalty — by design. Rodgers said they were never going for it. “That was the call,” he said. “Take the delay.”
It’s understandable that the Jets didn’t trot out Greg Zuerlein to kick a 55-yard field goal in his first game off injured reserve. Down 12-0 at the time, the Jets should have run a play. That’s where you should be aggressive. Instead, they punted and pinned the Bills deep in their territory.
The Jets ended up forcing their only three-and-out of the game on that series and got the ball back with good field position. Four plays later, Rodgers threw an interception that led to a Bills touchdown — and then the wheels came off for the Jets.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
