Rich Cimini, ESPN staff writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s like a scene from 2020 or 2021, Aaron Rodgers throws the ball, Davante Adams catches it, two old friends play for the New York Jets ( New York Jets) were at each other’s throats in a victory that they would talk about long after the game ended and their careers were over.
The quarterback-receiver tandem led the Jets to a 32-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at EverBank Stadium, with Adams catching nine passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns – all in the second half.
Adams gained 135 yards in the final four minutes of regulation, the most by any player in the game this century.
“Sometimes you get in trouble and it’s like your hands have a magnet on the ball,” said Adams, who had his 100th and 101st career touchdown catches.
Adams’ second half was one for the ages — the most prolific by a Jets player since the 1970 merger. The only player in the past 45 years to gain more yards in the second half after being blocked in the first half was Irving Fryar, who had 211 yards for the New England Patriots in 1994.
Think about it, the day started like this.
Adams’ first two goals came up short, and the latter blatantly failed. After a while, he was open on the third offense, but the ball was not passed to him.
He let Rogers hear about it.
“He came back with a wry smile and said, ‘Well, I guess you don’t believe me anymore,'” Rogers said with a laugh. “So, I used that line against him a lot in the second half.”
Friends can tease friends. Rodgers and Adams spent eight seasons with the Green Bay Packers, peaking in 2020 and 2021 when they combined for 29 touchdowns and Rodgers won his third and fourth MVPs. The two reunited in October when the Jets acquired Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Jets are 2-6 since the trade (4-10 overall) and out of playoff contention — an extremely disappointing season that led to coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas was fired.
Rodgers wouldn’t let that reality spoil their victory, which ended a four-game losing streak.
“Yeah, sure, it was too little, too late, but it was still special,” said Rodgers, who passed for 289 yards and three touchdowns. “It doesn’t tarnish it at all. It doesn’t steal any of the fun. It doesn’t take away any of the fun.”
On this day, Rogers was young again. The 41-year-old quarterback rushed for a team-high 45 yards, becoming the second 40-year-old player in NFL history to lead the team in rushing; in 2021, Tom Brady accomplished this feat He was only 44 years old. Rodgers became the first player in Jets history to throw three touchdown passes, no interceptions and at least 45 yards rushing in a single game.
Rodgers has finally gotten healthy over the past three weeks, racking up key yards rushing and joking after the game.
“I’m very proud of my minimal athleticism,” Rogers said. “But that’s why I’ve been training so hard for months…Obviously, it feels better. You all know that. You’ve seen it the past few weeks.”
The right arm also works fine.
After a lackluster first half, Rodgers hit Adams for a 1-yard touchdown, a perfect pass to the right to put the Jets ahead 17-16. Adams had been stopped near the goal line on the previous play, so Rodgers wanted to give his partner another shot, knowing it would be his 100th career touchdown.
“Historic. Magical,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “To score his 100th touchdown today, I’m honored to be there to witness this moment, to be able to witness this moment. It’s an amazing moment for these two guys. Obviously, [there’s been] There were a lot of balls and a lot of touchdowns between them. For them to get that is special. “
They’re not done yet. With 3:24 left in the fourth quarter, Rodgers found Adams for a 71-yard touchdown — a deep seam down the middle of second base. The Jets regained the lead 25-22. The Jaguars tied the game with a field goal, creating more Rodgers-Adams drama.
Adams made a great over-the-shoulder catch on third-and-10 from the Jets’ 30 with less than two minutes left in the game. That set up Blaise Hall’s game-winning touchdown with 1:05 left — a yard that the Jaguars intentionally let him score.
Cornerback Sauce Gardner sealed the victory with his first interception in 37 games.
Rogers said Adams’ over-the-shoulder catch was the highlight of the game. Adams said they have a certain “telepathy,” which was evident on the 71-yard touchdown run. This was their line in Green Bay, where the middle of the field was open.
“Then I looked back and saw the ball in the air and I was like, ‘Wow, that’s really a 70-yard touchdown,'” Adams said. “And, lo and behold, we did it.”
Just like in the past.
“Today was one of those days,” Adams said. “In the second half, it did feel very, very similar to the way we’ve been offensively in the past.”
