Aaron Rodgers made a triumphant return to MetLife Stadium, leading the New York Jets to a 24-3 victory over the New England Patriots on Thursday night. In his first home game since his devastating Achilles injury last season, the veteran quarterback was in total control, delivering a masterful performance to electrify the Jets faithful.
Rodgers, showered with chants of “Aa-ron! Rod-gers!” throughout the game, was efficient and sharp from start to finish. He completed 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards, throwing two touchdown passes—one to star wideout Garrett Wilson and another to his former Green Bay teammate Allen Lazard. Showing no signs of rust or lingering effects from his injury, the 40-year-old signal-caller scrambled with ease, made off-balance throws, and picked apart the Patriots’ defense with surgical precision.
The Jets’ defense also had a dominant outing, sacking Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett five times and holding New England to a mere field goal. New York’s pass rush, led by Quinnen Williams, kept the pressure on all night, stifling Brissett and the Patriots’ offense.
Brissett, starting in place of injured quarterback Mac Jones, managed just 98 yards on 12 of 18 passing. The Patriots‘ struggles prompted Jerod Mayo to bring in rookie quarterback Drake Maye late in the fourth quarter. Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, saw his first NFL action but faced immediate pressure. He went 4 of 8 for 22 yards and was sacked twice.
The victory was significant for the Jets (2-1), who ended an eight-game home losing streak to the Patriots (1-2). This marks the second straight win for New York against their AFC East rivals after snapping a 15-game skid last season, which was Bill Belichick’s final game as head coach.
Despite Brissett’s poor performance, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo remained noncommittal about making a permanent quarterback change. “We’ll evaluate everything, but Jacoby has been in tough spots before,” Mayo said after the game. “We’ll see where we’re at after reviewing the tape.”
For Rodgers, the night was a vindication of his return to form. In his third game in 11 days, he delivered a vintage performance that could set the tone for the rest of the Jets‘ season. With Rodgers leading the way and a ferocious defense backing him up, New York looks poised to compete for the AFC East crown.
The Jets will look to build on this momentum when they face the Denver Broncos in Week 4, while the Patriots will need to regroup before facing the San Francisco 49ers.
