We are officially less than 20 days away from the kickoff of the 2023/24 NFL season, and I am running out of unique introduction paragraphs to write. So, let’s cut out the fat and get right to the meat of the article.
Much like episode one, episode two featured Aaron Rodgers as one of the “main characters”. However, what was different about this episode is that it showed him and the rest of the offense struggle. Last week, the Jets traveled down to Carolina to have joint practices with the Panthers in preparation for their preseason matchup on Saturday. The main problem seemed to be the O-line, which had as many holes as swiss cheese and provided Rodgers with no time to get the ball out. This caused obvious frustration, and prompted Robert Saleh to call out the big men in a team meeting later on.
However, Rodgers did give us this funny moment:
The joint practice wasn’t all bad for the Jets though. The defense, especially Quinnen Williams, performed very well and applied lots of pressure on the Panthers’ first overall pick, Bryce Young. Williams put up double digit sacks, and was sure to let everybody know.
The struggles carried on into the preseason game for Bryce Young, where he went four for six for only 21 yards in the air. If I were a Panthers fan, I would be worried for Bryce’s safety this season. He was hit on three of his seven drop backs, including a blindside shot, and if that pace continues into the season, an injury is likely on the horizon. It’s clear that he is a great player with unbelievable poise, but his size was the biggest risk going into the draft. After that first preseason game, the pick looks like a massive gamble.
Another Jets player who was a “main character” of this week’s episode was first round pick Will McDonald, a defensive end out of Iowa State with he most sacks in Big 12 history. McDonald is definitely a unique guy. There was a whole portion of the episode where they followed him to a tatoo and piercing parlor, where he added an eyebrow and nose piercing to his already extensive collection. However, McDonald is also a unique player on the field. He is not as large as many of the leagues top defensive ends, but his freak athleticism and speed are the cornerstones of his game. Muscle and size may come with time, but you can’t build or teach the skills he’s got in his arsenal.
Something that we’ll be able to look forward to in next week’s episode is the rookie show. In this week’s episode, they held the rookie show, but they did such a poor job that they have to regroup and come back with funnier acts next week. Hopefully we’ll get something that lives up to some of the golden moments we’ve seen in past years.
That’s all I’ve got for you today, I’ll see you on Monday for our second to last weekend recap before football season starts!