Jets Top Broncos 31-21

The New York Jets pulled out a dramatic 31-21 victory over the Denver Broncos at Empower Field on Sunday, but it was not easy. The Jets needed a 39-yard fumble return for a touchdown by cornerback Bryce Hall after linebacker Quincy Williams knocked the ball out of Russell Wilson’s hands to secure the victory.

“It was gritty,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “It wasn’t pretty.”

There were no style points for the Jets in this one, but the win moves them to 2-3, ending a three-game losing streak and keeping hope alive that they can make something of this season even without Aaron Rodgers.

Running back Breece Hall provided most of the offense, rushing for 177 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown, on the same field where his season ended a year ago with a torn ACL.

Hall carried a Jets offense that went 0-for-5 in red-zone trips, settling for five Greg Zuerlein field goals.

Dolphins Beat Giants 31-16

The New York Giants fell to 1-4 on Sunday with a 31-16 loss to the 4-1 Miami Dolphins. 

The Giants also lost quarterback Daniel Jones to a neck injury when he was sacked by Andrew Van Ginkel in the fourth quarter. That was the sixth time Jones was sacked on Sunday and the 28th time this season. 

Coach Brian Daboll said Jones was “getting hit quite a bit.” Daboll did add that Jones told him he would be “OK.”

“Overall we’ve gotta do a better job offensively,” Daboll said. “We’re not doing a good enough job.”

The Dolphins scored touchdowns of 76 and 69 yards en route to compiling 524 yards of total offense. Miami now has 2,568 total yards of offense in five games, most in NFL history.

The Giants still don’t have an offensive touchdown in the first half of games this season, but they do have a touchdown thanks to Jason Pinnock’s 102-yard score on an interception return. The Giants still trailed at the half, 17-10. They have been outscored 94-19 in the first half of games this season, with four Graham Gano field goals being their only offensive points.

Can Aaron Rodgers Return This Season? 

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared on ESPN with Pat McAfee after undergoing surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon.

In the interview, Rodgers addressed his future by saying, “Give me the timetables, give me all the things you think can should or will happen. All I need is that one extra percent of motivation. So give me your doubts, your prognostications, then watch what I do.”

Rodgers would not rule out returning this season, saying “anything is possible” when asked directly about the possibility.

Rodgers’ hopes fly in the face of medical reality with an eight-to-12 month timeline expected for recovery.

He called Monday “one of the toughest 24-hour stretches in my life” with a “lot of sadness, a lot of tears.”

Rodgers went down after four offensive snaps into the season-opening 22-16 overtime win vs. the Buffalo Bills.

Rodgers, 39, thanked those who had reached out to him following the injury and hinted he will be back, posting “The night is darkest before the dawn. And I shall rise yet again.”