The NFL landscape can change in a heartbeat. And for the New York Jets? It’s been a whirlwind of disappointment lately! With playoff hopes slipping through their fingers, what does the future hold? The Week 11 game against the Indianapolis Colts turned out to be yet another painful chapter in their saga.

So, the Jets faced off against the Colts, and lost 28-27, bringing their season record to a heartbreaking 3-8. The Aaron Rodgers-led team had overcome a 13-0 deficit to take a 27-22 lead late in the fourth quarter. However, their defense crumbled in the final two minutes, giving Colts QB Anthony Richardson an opportunity to go 70 yards on six plays for the winning touchdown with 46 seconds left.

However, despite the unfavorable albeit distressing outcome, Rogers refused to use the word “shocked” to describe his emotions. He chose a new word instead. “That’s a buzzword, so I’m not going to touch that response to what you just said. I’m just going to echo that I’m disappointed.”

“Disappointed…disappointed,” the 40-year-old repeated later, before adding, “Yeah, I mean it’s disappointing — I’ve said that three times now. We’ve been working really hard trying to figure out what the issues are. It’s not just one person. Sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s somebody else. I felt good about the two-minute drive [near the end of the first half], the momentum was going, the crowd was getting into it. But unfortunately, we didn’t score enough points. That’s been our problem all year.”

Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, on the other hand, stepped up and acknowledged the team’s struggles, quipping, “I know Aaron would love to be playing better, but it’s not just him—it’s all of us.” For the unversed: The Jets QB has gathered quite a long list of injuries so far. In six weeks, he’s been on the team’s injury report with knee and ankle injuries. And as per the team’s HC, Rodgers has been dealing with a hamstring injury that “flared up” during the Jets’ 37-15 Week 7 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, affecting his mobility.

Having said that, let’s come back to the loss at hand. More specifically: The final drive. Aaron Rodgers had a pivotal fumble that left everyone scratching their heads. He broke it down, saying, “Not a very good play. I was getting rushed… I was trying to throw an incompletion.” It’s tough to hear a superstar like Rodgers admit that, but hey, that’s the reality—he’s got to do better when it counts. Notably, Rogers had 10 total first downs in 60 minutes of play with a stat of 4-for-13 on third down conversion chances. He was sacked three times for a net loss of 22 yards, and completed 22 of 29 passes, including two touchdowns, managing 184 yards (his second consecutive game under 200). 

And let’s talk coaching. Ulbrich took a lot of heat for his fourth-down decision. Instead of going for it, he opted for a field goal that put them ahead momentarily. But guess what? The Colts took that opportunity and marched down the field for a game-winning touchdown. Ulbrich said he regretted not being more aggressive, which just adds to the frustration. This team needs a win stat, and these little decisions can haunt a coach.

Now, it’s not just the loss that stings. It’s the realization that the Jets are pretty much out of the playoff picture! Will Ulbrich keep his job? Now that’s the burning question.

Rodgers’ performance and criticism

Speaking of heat, Aaron Rodgersis catching it from all sides following this game. Some folks are ready to bench him or even call for his retirement. Emmanuel Acho didn’t mince words: “The Jets deserve better than the old, unenthused and completely uninspired Aaron Rodgers… Rodgers is just out there collecting checks.“ Shots fired.

Jets fans are venting too. One sportswriter said, “Typical Aaron Rodgers under pressure final drive: Refuses to throw the ball downfield because he doesn’t want extra picks on his stats.” You can practically hear the frustration through the screen—Rodgers is playing not to lose rather than playing to win.

Rodgers himself described that he was “disappointed” with this 3-8 start. Can’t argue with that now, can we? Sure, he says he wants to come back and honor his contract. But at almost 41? Everyone’s wondering if he’s still got it!

With the playoff door slamming shut, what’s next? Is Rodgers the guy to lead this team? Or is it time for a new direction? At 3-8, the New York Jets have some serious questions to answer.