Jets Lose Rodgers But Win Season Opener in Walk-off Fashion
An injury to starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers deflated MetLife Stadium in the first quarter of Monday night's season opener, but an undrafted rookie sparked the crowd back into a frenzy in overtime.
Despite losing their future Hall-of-Fame field general on the fourth offensive snap, the New York Jets hung around with the Buffalo Bills and set the stage for Xavier Gipson's unlikely game-ending heroics. Making his NFL debut, Gipson broke a 16-16 tie by ripping off a 65-yard punt return to paydirt.
With the Gang Green defense forcing the Bills into a three-and-out on the first possession of overtime, Gipson fielded a short kick by Sam Martin at his own 35-yard line. He took an initial step toward the right hash mark, made a stutter step move and cut it back toward the left sideline finding a lot of room to run.
"I'm gonna speak for our entire locker-room and say we knew he was gonna get one today. We just had a feeling," said Jets' head coach Robert Saleh. "That kid is electric with the ball in his hands. If I'm a team I'm not kicking to him, but let him keep proving it."
The walk-off punt return touchdown revived a crowd that had been flattened in the opening minutes when Rodgers was sacked by Bills' defensive end Leonard Floyd. After being dropped for a 10-yard loss, Rodgers stood up but limped only a few steps before sitting down on the turf.
Jets' rookie Xavier Gipson (82) on the game-winning punt return
© Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Early speculation suggests that the 39-year-old quarterback suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon, an injury that would end his season. Saleh said that Rodgers will have an MRI to confirm what is feared to be the case.
"I hurt for Aaron and how much he's invested in all of this. I'm still gonna say a prayer. I'm still gonna hold out hope," said Saleh following the 22-16 triumph. "When they told me what they think it was, I just recall the look on Aaron's face. Pretty much knew in the first half."
On a positive note, the Jets' vaunted defense performed as advertised, frustrating the Bills throughout the night and forcing quarterback Josh Allen into four turnovers.
Gang Green sacked Buffalo's star signal caller five times, including a pair of sacks for former Bills' defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson. Strong safety Jordan Whitehead intercepted three of Allen's passes while linebacker Quincy Williams was flying around all night and finished with 10 tackles.
"Trying to force the ball. Same [expletive], same place, different day," said Allen, who threw two ill-advised interceptions in the Bills' 2022 loss at MetLife Stadium.
Allen's fourth giveaway, a forced fumble by Micheal Clemons, set the Green & White up at the Bills' 27-yard line with 4:51 left in the fourth quarter of a 13-13 game. The Jets moved the chains once before settling for a go-ahead 30-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein.
Going to work with 1:48 remaining and one timeout on hand, Allen and the Bills set up a 50-yard field goal attempt for kicker Tyler Bass who banked it in off the left upright to force overtime.
The Bills' quarterback finished 29-of-41 passing for 236 yards and one touchdown.
"I hurt our team tonight. I cost our team tonight," said Allen. "This feels eerily similar to last year and I hate that it’s the same."
Jets' sophomore running back Breece Hall, who didn't face he Bills as a rookie, accounted for 147 of the team's 289 yards of total offense. Looking fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered last October, the second-year pro ran for 127 yards on 10 carries and made one 20-yard reception.
"Excited for him. He had a couple of big runs, a big screen. He is only going to get bigger, better, and stronger," said Saleh.
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