Posted on: September 11, 2023, 11:57h.
Last updated on: September 11, 2023, 11:57h.
A potential season-ending injury spoiled the debut of New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets hosted the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football to cap off the first week of the NFL season.
Rodgers went down with an apparent left ankle injury in the first possession of the game. Training staff took a look at him on the sidelines of MetLife Stadium before a medical cart whisked him away to the tunnel. A hobbled Rodgers limped to the locker room. X-rays were negative, but Rodgers was spotted in a walking boot.
Rodgers will undergo an MRI on Tuesday morning to confirm a ruptured Achilles tendon.
The MRI is gonna confirm what we think is already gonna happen,” said head coach Robert Saleh. “But, it’s not good.”
Rodgers attempted one pass before his injury on the fourth offensive play of the game for the Jets. He apparently ruptured his left Achilles tendon when Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd sacked him for a 10-yard loss.
“Holy cow! I cannot believe this.”
Peyton was shook by Aaron Rodgers’ early injury. pic.twitter.com/rhmSXMW6O5
— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2023
Jets Fear Achilles Injury, Rodgers Dunzo?
An unhappy Rodgers joined the Jets in an offseason trade with the Green Bay Packers. The Jets boasted a top-notch defense, led by cornerback Sauce Gardner, but their offense was in desperate need of an upgrade at quarterback after a 7-10 season in 2022.
The Jets saw an uptick in futures bets after Rodgers joined the team. More bettors jumped on the bandwagon after the Jets appeared on HBO’s Hard Knocks reality series, which follows a team during the preseason.
The Jets had not qualified for the playoffs since the 2010 season, which marked the longest playoff drought in the NFL. Expectations were high with Rodgers at quarterback, but the crowd at MetLife Stadium was silenced when Rodgers was knocked out of the game with an unfortunate injury.
If Rodgers ruptured his Achilles, he will undergo surgery and miss the entire 2023 season.
Jets Stun Bills in OT
Backup Zach Wilson took over at quarterback after Rodgers exited the game with his injury. Wilson lost his starting job to Rodgers, but showed noticeable improvement in the preseason after Rodgers took him under his wing.
Wilson completed 14-of-21 passes for 140 yards against the Bills. He tossed one touchdown and one interception.
The Bills led 13-3 at halftime, and Bufflo wide receiver Stefon Diggs scored the only touchdown in the first half.
The Jets defense stepped up in the second half and limited the Bills to just three points. Safety Jordan Whitehead, who joined the Jets in free agency, tormented quarterback Josh Allen. Whitehead picked off Allen three times including twice in the second half.
Wilson hooked up with wide receiver Garrett Wilson on an acrobatic touchdown catch with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Jets scored their first touchdown of the game, and pulled even at 13-13. Both teams swapped field goals late in the fourth quarter, and the game headed into overtime.
The Jets defense forced the Bills to punt on their first possession in overtime. Undrafted rookie Xavier Gipson returned a punt for a 65-yard touchdown, and the Jets shocked the Bills with a 22-16 victory.
In a post-game press conference, Saleh said that Wilson will remain the starting quarterback of the Jets if Rodgers is out for good. Saleh benched Wilson last season due to inconsistent play and poor leadership skills.
Several free agent veteran quarterbacks have yet to sign with a team this season including Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, and Joey Flacco. There were no shortage of memes featuring retired Tom Brady sporting a Jets uniform that flooded social media during Monday Night Football.
Game. pic.twitter.com/IQUVttadqp
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 12, 2023
Betting the 1-0 Jets
The Jets are currently tied for first place in the AFC East with the Miami Dolphins. Both the New England Patriots and Bills started the season with losses.
The Jets were +1600 odds to win Super Bowl LVIII before the season began. After Rodgers went down with an injury, oddsmakers adjusted their futures board. The Jets are currently +4000 odds to win the Super Bowl without Rodgers, and they’re +3000 odds to win the AFC Championship.
The Bills were the consensus favorite to win the AFC East at +120 odds before the season began. The Jets were second on the board at +270 odds, and just ahead of the Dolphins at +300. After the Bills lost to the Jets on Monday Night Football, the Dolphins emerged as the betting favorite to win the AFC East at +140 odds. The Bills are right behind the Dolphins at +145 odds. The Jets saw their divisional odds slip to +550.
The Jets entered this season with a win total of 9.5 over/under. Oddsmakers at DraftKings took that prop bet off the board for now, and will post an adjusted win total on Tuesday after Rodgers’ MRI.