Aaron Rodgers’ first performance back at MetLife Stadium since tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 1 of the 2023 season was a top-notch performance.

Showing the same agility and precision that earned him four MVP awards, Rodgers led the New York Jets to a 24-3 victory over the New England Patriots on Thursday night, the Jets’ second win of the season. The 40-year-old posted a 118.9 passer rating on Thursday night while his defense limited New England to just 2.9 yards per play.

Long after fans began chanting Rodgers’ name in the third quarter, the Patriots decided to bring in rookie quarterback Drake Maye in the final minutes of the fourth quarter with the game already well out of control. The third-round pick made his debut with just over four minutes left to play.

The athleteZack Rosenblatt and Chad Graff summarize the key findings.

Rodgers celebrates with Allen Lazard after a touchdown in the first quarter. (Photo: Al Bello / Getty Images)

Peak Rodgers on display

This was Aaron Rodgers at his best. The 40-year-old didn’t look like a 40-year-old – especially not all three times he came out of the game – twice for first downs. Rodgers was effective in the pocket and was able to get rid of the ball quickly – but he also somehow managed to dominate even when the Patriots applied pressure.

Robert Saleh on Aaron Rodgers’ mobility: “He may not be what he once was, but he still has a lot more in his legs.”

— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) 20 September 2024

The Jets came out on offense with a vengeance, throwing nearly every play on their first possession. That attack was punctuated by a poorly timed holding penalty that thwarted any chance of scoring. But unlike in years past, the Jets quickly recovered and the Rodgers-led offense dominated the first half.

For the third straight game, the Jets scored at least three touchdowns – something they’ve only managed in two games in all of 2023. The potential for this Jets team to perform is much higher with Rodgers operating like this, especially with a much improved offensive line and a group of weapons that’s better than what the Jets have used in a long time. — Zack Rosenblatt, Jets sports journalist

Urgently needed appearance by the New York defense

After several weeks of inconsistent defensive play – especially on the defensive line – Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich developed a clever game plan that left the Patriots baffled.

New England’s offensive line may be one of the worst in the NFL, but the Jets still had to show they could dominate on offense against an inferior opponent, and that’s exactly what they did.

Ulbrich blitzed more on Thursday than he has during most of his tenure as defensive coordinator, and defensive end Will McDonald helped the Jets feel a little better after losing Jermaine Johnson — and missing Haason Reddick — with a stellar first-half performance. Through three quarters, the Patriots had just 118 yards of total offense. A few minutes into the fourth quarter, that number dropped to 85 net yards. Things didn’t get much better from there. The Jets may not face an offense as bad as the Patriots again this year — but the Jets haven’t always beaten opponents they should have beaten in years past. On Thursday, they did. – rose petal

What did Maye look like?

The Patriots had been cautious with Maye, not wanting to send their highly valued rookie quarterback onto the field with a weak supporting cast.

But after a crushing defeat, the plan changed.

Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft, made his NFL debut in garbage time on Thursday night, entering the game with just over four minutes left. He completed 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards and, like Jacoby Brissett, was under constant pressure. Maye was sacked twice on his only drive.

His first pass was nearly intercepted and his second dropback ended in a heavy hit on a scrum. But Maye came around better after that, improving on some short completions. The 46-yard drive he led was the team’s second-longest of the night. — Chad Graff, Patriots sportswriter

Patriots have serious protection problems

It will be difficult for the Patriots to build even the semblance of a functioning offense behind the established offensive line.

Both coach Jerod Mayo and de facto GM Eliot Wolf insisted in the weeks before the season that there were no concerns about the offensive line, all declaring that talk about the problems there was greatly exaggerated.

Now, three weeks later, there are no major concerns for the Patriots. The front five was so bad Thursday night that Brissett was hit on nearly half of his dropbacks. The group entered the game ranked 31st in pressure rate allowed and could become the new last-place team after this performance.

What drives you crazy is how predictable it was. The Patriots had a terrible offensive line last year and then tried to change that by signing veterans Vederian Lowe and Chukwuma Okorafor and drafting a right tackle (Caedan Wallace) in the third round to play left tackle.

It was a total disaster. — Graff

Pats have problems tackling

The Patriots’ defense is supposed to be their backbone. Perhaps that’s why Thursday was such a disaster for the Patriots. It’s not surprising that the offense was bad or the O-line struggled, but the area where the Patriots were so confident was a total mess.

They lost their tackling-safe linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley earlier in the week due to a torn pectoral muscle, and without him on the field, the Pats were unable to tackle anyone for some reason.

They missed more than a dozen tackles and were completely shredded in every way. This will be a big test for Mayo, an early challenge for him as he tries to get his precious defense in order – especially with a game against the San Francisco 49ers coming up next. — Graff

Required reading

(Photo: Robert Deutsch / Imagn Images)