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Following Monday night’s 23-20 home loss to the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers explained what happened on his interception during what turned out to be the Jets’ final offensive series of the game.
Rodgers was picked off by Bills cornerback Taron Johnson with 1:52 remaining while trying to hit wide receiver Mike Williams deep down the field. Rodgers told reporters that Williams ran the wrong route:
“It’s two vertical [routes]. Allen [Lazard] is down the seam and Mike is down the red line. I’m looking at Allen, he puts his hand up and three guys go with him. So I’m throwing a no-look to the red line. And when I peek my eyes back there, [Williams] is running an in-breaker. He’s got to be on the red line. It’s the little things every single time.”
When asked again about the play during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Rodgers placed the blame on himself, noting that he’s “gotta play better” and “can’t make that throw.”
Rodgers added that he wasn’t calling Williams out and that he has “a lot of love and respect” for Williams.
Following Johnson’s clutch interception with Buffalo leading by three, the Bills were able to run out the clock, as quarterback Josh Allen picked up a decisive first down on 3rd-and-4 with a six-yard run.
With the score tied at 20-20 in the second half, Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein missed field goals on back-to-back possessions, as he struggled to deal with windy conditions inside MetLife Stadium.
Buffalo took a 23-20 lead thanks to a field goal with 3:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, but that gave Rodgers and the New York offense a chance to drive for the tying or winning score.
The 40-year-old Rodgers had one of his best statistical games of the season, throwing for 294 yards and two touchdowns. He did it by primarily targeting Lazard and Garrett Wilson, both of whom had more than 100 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Rodgers targeted Williams three times, but he didn’t come away with a catch, and he apparently wasn’t on the same page with his quarterback on what proved to be a game-defining play.
Route concept aside, Williams slipped on the Jets’ final offensive play, which allowed Johnson to dive in front of him and put the ball back in the hands of Allen and the Buffalo offense.
In seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Williams often dealt with injuries, but he was highly productive when healthy. He recorded two 1,000-yard seasons and scored 31 touchdowns during his Chargers career.
The Chargers parted ways with Williams during the offseason as a cost-cutting measure, and the Jets signed him in hopes of him becoming an ideal complement to Wilson and Lazard.
Rodgers and Williams seemingly haven’t meshed, though, as he has only 10 catches for 145 yards and no touchdowns through six games. By comparison, Wilson has 41 catches for 399 yards and three touchdowns, and Lazard has 26 receptions for 354 yards and five scores.
Despite Wilson and Lazard putting up strong numbers, the Jets have been strongly linked to Las Vegas Raiders superstar wide receiver Davante Adams in trade talks due to Adams’ reported desire to reunited with Rodgers, who was his teammate for several years with the Green Bay Packers.
Should that trade ultimately happen, it is possible Williams would be the odd man out. He likely didn’t help his own cause by having a miscommunication with Rodgers in a crucial moment.
The Jets could have moved into a tie for the AFC East lead with a win on Monday, but instead they are now in third with a 2-4 record, while Buffalo leads the way at 4-2.
New York’s next opportunity to get back on track will come Sunday night when the Jets go on the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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