Aaron Rodgers Secures First Complete Victory with Jets: 'It's Been a Long Time Coming'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After a 623-day wait, Aaron Rodgers left the field as a victorious quarterback for the first time since his last win on January 1, 2023. While it wasn't a standout performance, he executed perfectly during the critical touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, leading the New York Jets to a thrilling 24-17 victory against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.

Following the game, Rodgers relished the moment, reflecting on his play calls that resulted in three touchdowns and his playful banter with Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who had labeled him "a crybaby" during the match.

“It was great,” said the 40-year-old Rodgers, relieved to avoid the first 0-2 start of his 20-year career. “It was a long time coming. Games like this are the ones you look back on and appreciate, especially if we want to be a great team. Winning in tough environments against strong opponents is essential.”

Rodgers, who technically had a win in the Jets' 2023 opener despite only playing four snaps before suffering an Achilles injury, finally celebrated a complete game victory with the Jets (now 1-1). He led a seven-play, 74-yard drive, culminating in rookie running back Braelon Allen’s second touchdown, a 20-yard run with 4:31 remaining, making it 24-17. On that drive, Rodgers completed all five of his passes for 60 yards, including key completions of 26 and 19 yards to Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams.

“He's like a conductor,” Allen said of Rodgers, while tight end Tyler Conklin noted, “Aaron did some Aaron stuff out there.”

Desperate for a win after a tough loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Jets’ defense stepped up, executing a crucial fourth-down stop in the game’s final seconds despite injuries to defensive end Jermaine Johnson and linebacker C.J. Mosley.

Rodgers’ teammates and coach Robert Saleh highlighted his calm presence in those crucial moments as vital to the victory. “He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer and has had production for a long time,” Saleh remarked. “Having someone like that in the huddle is invaluable for those who haven’t experienced everything.”

Rodgers completed 18 of 30 passes for 176 yards, marking his 24th consecutive game without surpassing 300 yards—the longest streak of his career. He threw two touchdowns: a 12-yard screen pass to Allen and a 26-yard strike to Breece Hall, marking the first time since 1994 that two different Jets running backs caught touchdown passes in the same game.

On the Allen touchdown, Rodgers suggested the call to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, executing a pump fake to Hall followed by a quick throw to Allen, which worked perfectly. “I messed up the clock, so we called a timeout,” Rodgers explained. “Breece came over and said, ‘Hey, throw me a go ball if there’s a linebacker out there.’ I said, ‘Okay.’”

Allen’s run was made easier by a gaping hole. “The hole was so big that even my nana could score on that one,” he joked. The play was initially designed as a pass, but Rodgers switched to a run at the line of scrimmage.

After the game, Rodgers enjoyed some friendly ribbing with Simmons, who had received a costly roughing-the-passer penalty during the match. “He was calling me some mean names out there,” Rodgers laughed, recalling his own “crybaby” comment to Simmons after the penalty.

DETROIT — Lions head coach Dan Campbell struggled to hold back tears following a disappointing 20-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, admitting it was a painful moment for the team. With Detroit entering the matchup as 7.5-point favorites, Campbell took full responsibility for the team's 1-1 start.

“I asked for improvement from last week, and we did improve. But I made a critical error to end the half, and that’s 100% on me,” Campbell stated. The Lions managed just one touchdown on seven red zone trips against the Buccaneers, the most red zone drives without a touchdown for the franchise since 1981.

A major turning point came at the end of the first half, when the Lions were flagged for having too many men on the field. Trailing 13-6, they had a chance to score on a third-and-2 at the Buccaneers' 9-yard line, but the clock expired due to a 10-second runoff caused by the penalty.

“I can’t justify this. It’s a massive error on my part,” Campbell lamented. “It was just a matter of whether to hurry up for a field goal or clock it. I messed it up.”

Quarterback Jared Goff, who was 34-for-55 for 307 yards, threw two interceptions and failed to find the end zone. Despite the disappointing outcome, Goff is confident in the team's ability to bounce back against the Arizona Cardinals next week. “It’s early in the season, and we can learn from this,” he said.

Lions All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell expressed frustration with the loss but appreciated Campbell's accountability. He sees the defeat as a wake-up call amid high expectations for the team this season.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — In a remarkable turn of events, rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. celebrated his first NFL touchdown in a 41-10 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, showcasing a dominant performance in the first quarter. Harrison caught four passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, bouncing back from a disappointing debut last week.

Harrison's early success included a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kyler Murray and a 60-yard touchdown on the next drive, putting him in the record books. When asked if his first quarter performance was as good as it gets for a receiver, the 22-year-old simply replied, “Yes.”

Coach Jonathan Gannon noted that the plan wasn’t to specifically target Harrison early, but Murray’s approach was to engage his receivers quickly to build their confidence. “You want to get your guys involved early to get their juices flowing,” Murray said, praising Harrison’s performance.

Despite not making another catch for the remainder of the game, Harrison acknowledged the need for improvement. He was hard on himself for his role in all four of Murray's incompletions during the game.

The Cardinals’ offensive display tied the franchise record for points in a home opener, equaling their performance in 1985. Murray finished 17-of-21 for 266 yards and three touchdowns while also contributing with five carries for 59 yards.

“This was a complete team win,” Murray said, reflecting on the offensive and defensive contributions. The Cardinals dominated time of possession and secured their first victory over the Rams at home since 2014.

BALTIMORE — The Ravens faced a disappointing 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, marking an 0-2 start for the first time in nine years. Lamar Jackson expressed the need to regain their momentum, stating, “We've got to find our mojo and do what we do because that’s not us at all.”

Baltimore suffered narrow losses in both of their first games, with Sunday’s defeat coming on a last-second field goal. Head coach John Harbaugh emphasized that the team's character would define their season. “We’re not going to be defined by anyone else’s opinions,” he said.

Jackson completed 21 of 34 passes for 247 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, but the team’s inability to hold a 10-point lead late in the game was concerning. Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley highlighted the need for discipline and focus moving forward, while linebacker Roquan Smith remained confident in the team’s potential.

As the Ravens prepare for a tough stretch against defending division champions, the focus will be on overcoming early-season adversity and improving their performance.