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December 3, 2024

Jets vs Seahawks Recap: Jets Fall Short Once Again

By Bailey Justin
Aaron Rodgers , Davante Adams , Garrett Wilson , Geno Smith , New York Jets , NFL , Sauce Gardner , Seattle Seahawks

The New York Jets came off of their bye week at 3-8 to face the Seattle Seahawks. It was a hectic bye week for New York as General Manager Joe Douglas was fired. As well as multiple stories coming about the dynamic and issues within the organization between Aaron Rodgers or the Jets, though nothing is confirmed to be one hundred percent accurate. 

Among all the chaos, the Jets still have football to play and of course with perfect timing they play Geno Smith, the former Jets Quarterback. This is Smith’s first game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium. 

This was a bizarre game and you wouldn’t expect anything less in a Jets game where they are facing a former quarterback. To open the game, the Jets defense was able to get pressure on Smith on third down to get the stop. 

The Jets came out on offense looking to get off to a hot start but as usual they went three and out as fans already started to boo them off the field. 

On New York’s second drive they started to get into a rhythm as Rodgers was able to hit Davante Adams on a big throw to convert a third down. From there the Jets just kept moving the ball methodically through the run, and dump offs by Rodgers. 

Rodgers on this drive looked fresh, his mobility looked to be somewhat back, he was poised and on time with his receivers. It gave some life to the Jets offense which led to a touchdown pass by Rodgers to Adams.

The Jets took the lead but had the extra point blocked making it a 6-0 lead for them.

Things were going the Jets way early as Seattle fumbled on the kick return giving the ball back to the Jets. In most cases, the Jets would probably squander this opportunity but not today. They were able to take advantage of the turnover and score a touchdown on a shovel pass from Rodgers to rookie running back Isaiah Davis who scored his first career touchdown.

New York goes for two to make it a 14-0 game, and they get it via a Breece Hall run up the middle. The Jets were on fire to start this game up 14-0. Seattle even almost fumbled again on the kick return but were able to recover. 

To start the second quarter, Seattle was able to finally put a drive together with some big throws from Smith to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. New York could not get off the field as Seattle finally punched it in with a Smith touchdown pass to tight end A.J. Barner. Making the score 14-7 as Seattle is back in it. 

New York was playing with house money though, playing with some fire as Kene Nwangwu straight off the practice squad took the kick return to the house for a touchdown putting the Jets up 21-7.

Then once again Seattle muffs the kick return for another fumble that the Jets recover. The Jets have the ball again with another chance to score. New York was on fire, Rodgers hit a pass over the middle to Adams to move the ball down the field. New York was in position to score another touchdown but then after a nasty Garrett Wilson route leaving him in the endzone wide open, Rodgers just overthrew it and missed him. This would be costly for New York as on the next play Rodgers throws an interception to the other former Jet, Leonard Williams. Yes, defensive lineman Williams picked off Rodgers and it took it all the way to the house for the pick-six. 

Completely changing the tone of this game, the Jets had a chance to go up 28-7 but now it is 21-13 as Seattle had the extra point blocked. 

From this point forward, the offense was not able to do anything, that interception changed the whole game as on the next drive Rodgers and Adams could not connect on a fourth down to keep the drive alive. 

Seattle was able to take advantage of field position finding their way into New York territory that led to a field goal. Seattle now trailed 21-16 with the Jets getting the ball back with nearly four minutes left in the half. The offense was able to move the ball somewhat but not enough to get any points. Seattle on their final drive of the half was not able to do anything as Sauce Gardner had a huge pass breakup while covering D.K. Metcalf on third down to get off the field. 

The Jets went to the half up 21-16 with a chance to finish this game and get back in the win column. The Third quarter was a pretty tame quarter compared to the first half of this game. The Jets were not able to make anything happen on their opening drive of the half even though they were able to get on Seattle’s half of the field. Just couldn’t get deep enough into Seattle territory to put up any points. 

Seattle was able to put a drive together including two big throws to Metcalf who beat Gardner on the first and then D.J. Reed on the second to put Seattle on the Jets goal line. New York was able to get Seattle to a third and goal but then Chuck Clark got called for pass interference on Metcalf to reset the downs. But in a valiant effort, the Jets were able to get the huge goal line stand as Gardner had the pass break up on third down. Followed up by a Quincy Williams sack on fourth down to make the stop and leave Seattle without any points. 

On the next Jets drive, Rodgers was able to get a roughing the passer call to move the Jets down the field but then the Jets had a penalty that set them back. Then Breece Hall went on a ten-yard rush but fumbled on the hit in which Seattle recovered to take back possession of the football. 

To end the third quarter, Seattle was able to convert a huge fourth and seven as Smith found Smith-Njigba down the field to get into the redzone. Will McDonald IV was able to get a big sack on Smith that led to a third and long for the Seahawks. They could not convert which led to a field goal making the score 21-19. 

The Jets next drive had a big opportunity as Rodgers found Adams deep for a huge completion but the flags were out in a big decision as Adams was called for offensive pass interference eliminating the play. New York could not do anything after that, giving the ball back to Seattle. 

Seattle was in Jets territory, it was a huge fourth and one that the Jets were able to get the stop or so we thought as Solomon Thomas got called for a facemask negating the stop and extending the drive for Seattle. Then on a fourth and six the Jets got called for 12 men on the field. 

Making it a fourth and one as Smith could not complete his pass to Metcalf but a defensive pass interference was called to extend the drive once again. Then a crucial third down, the Jets got another stop but a penalty was called on them for a horse collar tackle. 

Here we go again on another third down which led to an incompletion that got negated from a neutral zone infraction that gave Seattle another chance. Which led to a Zach Charbonnet rushing touchdown to put Seattle up 26-21. 

On the Jets final offensive drive of the game, they were able to move the ball once again including almost converting a third and 26 that led to them being able to convert the fourth down. Rodgers was making throws and the Jets were near the 30-yard line at the two minute warning. 

Coming out of the two minute warning the Jets offense went stagnant as Rodgers got sacked leading to a fourth and long. They were not able to convert it which led to the end of the game. The Jets could not finish, they fell short again to fall to 3-9. 

The constant story of this Jets season not being able to finish games. It was a great quarter and a half of football for them but once that costly pick-six happened, they could not finish drives on offense. Seattle took advantage and just slowly chewed away at the lead to come out on top. 

Rodgers was looking fresh coming off the bye week, he looked reenergized but that all came crashing down quickly as what started as a great game for him soon became another mediocre performance where he could not get the offense going. Ultimately too, his interception was the costliest part of the game for the team especially with the fact he missed Wilson wide open in the endzone the play before. 

The defense battled it out with Seattle, they did great against the run, Seattle had 84 yards on 23 carries. That’s a great performance from the run defense. Smith only had 206 yards on the day. The Defense did everything they could but some undisciplined penalties in key moments is what destroyed them in the end. They had many opportunities to get off the field including times where they did get the stop but it was overturned by penalties. 

This was easily a game New York could have won but it is the same mistakes over and over again that cost them. It’s just one of those years where it seems like nothing can go New York’s way. They are in their own way every single time, it comes down to coaching. The Jets simply do not have the coaching staff that is good enough to lead this roster to success. What they will do at the Quarterback position next year is a big mystery but it will not matter if they don’t get the right coaching staff in place. 

Woody Johnson, and whoever is the next General Manager must get the Head Coach right this offseason if this Organization wants any chance to turn this around, and break the postseason streak. 

The 3-9 Jets with their season over will head down to Miami to play their division rivals the Dolphins. Head Coach Jeff Ulbrich has confirmed that Rodgers will continue to be the starting quarterback for New York even with nothing left to play for.

About the Author

Bailey Justin

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