Ocho blog by @diegocando8

Aaron Rodgers’ debut with the New York Jets lasted just four snaps. The Chicago Tribune report The Quarterback suffered a left leg injury during the first offensive series of his regular-season debut with the New York Jets on Monday night, leaving the field on a cart amid stunned disbelief from a previously raucous home crowd at MetLife Stadium. (Washington Post)

Rodgers jogged onto the field during player introductions with an American flag in hand on the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and received his first official welcome from Jets fans.

With hip-hop artist and actor Method Man announcing Rodgers’ name — accompanied by a laser light show — the quarterback got huge applause.

On the Jets’ third official offensive play of the game, left tackle Duane Brown missed a block against Bills linebacker Leonard Floyd. Rodgers tried to escape, but Floyd sacked Rodgers, rolling the quarterback’s legs as they both went to the ground. Rodgers stood up, then sat back down before walking to the sideline with help from Jets medical staff.

According to the New York Times, Rodgers was transported to the locker room on a cart and did not return after officially being ruled out with an ankle injury.

The Jets, even without Rodgers, won in overtime, 22-16, on a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown by Xavier Gipson.

The Washington Post analyzed the game;  Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw three interceptions, all to Jets safety Jordan Whitehead, and lost a fumble. Zach Wilson threw a tying three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Garrett Wilson with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. The Jets recovered Allen’s fumble and converted it into a 30-yard field goal by kicker Greg Zuerlein with less than two minutes left.

The Bills’ Tyler Bass connected on a 50-yard kick that crashed into the left upright but bounced through to force overtime.

The Bills won possession in the coin toss, leaving the Jets’ defense, the strength of the team in the 2022 season and on Monday night, to come up with yet another crucial stand. A false start penalty on Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown backed Buffalo up to its own 20-yard line and a pass rush led by Williams held the Bills to just 3 yards from there.

Allen had to take his final snap from the shotgun before the Bills were forced to punt to Gipson, an undrafted rookie out of Stephen F. Austin. He got stellar blocking from teammates as he strode 65 yards to the end zone, where he was surrounded by Jets coaches and players who rushed in from the sidelines as time expired. Rodgers was nowhere in sight.

Rodgers, who spent his first 18 seasons with Green Bay, raised expectations for the Jets and their fan base when he said he expects to win in New York and pointed out during his introductory news conference that the team’s only Super Bowl trophy looks “lonely.”

If healthy, he gives the Jets their most accomplished quarterback since Brett Favre, who was acquired from Green Bay in 2008 — clearing the way for Rodgers to become the Packers’ signal caller.

Rodgers, who has repeatedly said he won’t be one-and-done with the Jets, agreed in July to a restructured contract that gives him $75 million in fully guaranteed money over this season and next. It amounts to a nearly $35 million pay cut from the deal he had with Green Bay in which he was set to make $110 million guaranteed.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/09/11/aaron-rodgers-injury-jets-bills/

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-aaron-rodgers-injury-new-york-jets-debut-20230912-gnvpt365zzet5fsyrzefhz33pu-story.html