NFL Power Rankings Week 4: Cowboys drop the ball
After three weeks of the NFL season, the curve balls keep coming, and Cowboys lose to would-be-tanking Cardinals.
SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Aaron Rodgers isn’t on the field, but he still is playing the role of sage and referring to the New York Jets as “we” and “us.”
The Jets have lost two games since the four-time MVP’s season was cut short in Week 1 when he tore his Achilles. Rodgers’ backup, Zach Wilson, has caught ire for his poor play, especially from famed quarterback Joe Namath.
Rodgers channeled fictional soccer coach Ted Lasso, known for his inspiration and positivity, during an appearance Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Show”. He encouraged his team to stick together past the negativity and perhaps made a subtle jab at the Jets legend.
“You gotta find a way to block some of that out. Obviously, you’re gonna hear about it or somebody’s gonna text you something or you might see something, a conversation about it,” he said. “When you’re riding high, you can’t get into it too much, just like when the whole world feels like it’s crashing down on you, you can’t get too wrapped up in that. …
“I said it to them in the preseason. Our toughest task is handling success, and that’s whether we’re having success or not having success. It doesn’t mean you’re winning all the time you gotta handle it the right way. It’s when we’re not having success, how do we respond? How do we respond in adversity? And that goes for our fan base and former players as well. You’re not helping the cause.”
The Jets, who signed quarterback Trevor Siemian on Tuesday, per multiple reports, have been visibly flustered by their lack of success. In New York’s home loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, running back Michael Carter was seen on the sideline chewing out his position coach, Taylor Embree.
Rodgers called for his team to take a breath and support each other. He pointed out that the Jets went 1-2 last year before Wilson resumed control at quarterback. New York then embarked on a 5-1 stretch, which included beating Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
“This is what teams have to go through. There’s adversity points in every season,” Rodgers said. “This year, it’s happening early and people are coming for us. There’s some heated conversations on the sideline and different things. I think we need to hold our poise a little bit better, really just offensively. We need to not have some of those things happen on the sideline and to be a little better, just be a little better competitors. We need to understand this is part of it. It’s not always gonna be pretty the most important thing is winning.”
He pointed to how his former team recovered from a 17-0 deficit last week to beat the New Orleans Saints as proof that winning doesn’t have to be pretty. He also noted the major upset last week — the Arizona Cardinals upended the Dallas Cowboys — by saying anyone can win at any time.
“Doesn’t (expletive) matter. It’s like you win the game, that’s the most important thing,” he said. “However you gotta get it done. There’s been I think too many little side conversations and we just need to grow up a little bit on offense and lock in and do our jobs, everybody and not point fingers at each other. That’s everybody. Don’t point fingers at the coaching staff, don’t point fingers at each other. Just get back to work and get the job done.”
Rodgers said “it sucks not being there” and suggested that if he were healthy, the team might be in a different position.
“It’s really hard,” he said. “I miss the guys. I miss the leadership opportunity, I miss balling, competing. I feel like if I was there, some of those things wouldn’t be happening, not sure we’d be 3-0. I don’t know that. I’d like to think there’s a possibility of that.”
But Rodgers acknowledged the circumstances and said he hoped that the offense can get churning to match the productivity of the defense.
“We have to understand the importance of manifestation and what we’re putting out in the world,” he said. “We also have to be realistic as well. We’re not living in this rose-colored glasses world either. We’re 1-2. Been a couple rough ones. … Let’s stay behind our guys. Let’s support our guys, let’s support the boys on the field, let’s stick with our guys and let’s have a little belief.”
