The New York Jets lost their fifth straight game on Sunday, and one veteran opponent seemed surprised by what he saw from Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers finished 17/28 for 233 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions in the Jets’ 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. For the fourth consecutive game, Rodgers did not record a single rushing yard.
Following New England’s upset win, veteran defensive lineman Davon Godchaux said he noticed some serious limitations from Rodgers.
“Hall of Fame quarterback. Hate to see him go out that way. … He definitely don’t look the same,” Godchaux said, via Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. “He kept moving back there, s– I could run him down and catch him. He don’t look mobile at all. That’s good for us.”
When Rodgers was in his prime, his combination of mobility, accuracy and arm strength was unmatched. The four-time NFL MVP consistently burned defenses by getting outside the pocket and extending plays. Rodgers could also pick up yards with his legs if he had nothing available through the air.
Now that he is 40 and had to recover from a torn Achilles, Rodgers is nowhere near as mobile as he used to be. It’s also worth noting that he was dealing with a new injury heading into Sunday’s game, so that may have been a factor.
Godchaux is not the only one who has noticed that Rodgers can’t move around like he used to, but seeing it up close must be eye-opening for a player who has played in the NFL for eight years.
