Jets News: Aaron Rodgers’ Playoff Hopes Questioned With Russell Wilson Comparison as Ric Buchner Rips Into Steelers QB

The NFL’s offseason has been a whirlwind of quarterback carousel moves – enough to make even the most diehard fans’ heads spin. But amidst all the signal-caller shuffling, two situations stand out like a pair of gunslingers locked in an old-fashioned shootout.

In this corner, we have Russell Wilson looking to recapture his “Mr. Unlimited” magic after a season in Denver that fell flatter than a dud Hail Mary. And in the other, Aaron Rodgers is suiting up in New York’s green and white, dreaming of turning the Jets from perennial punchline to playoff contenders. These two veteran QBs have been to the mountaintop before – but can they relive the glory and silence their doubters? That’s the million-dollar question as this gridiron drama unfolds.

Wilson’s mile-high caution for the Jets’ Aaron Rodgers ride

For Wilson, his forgettable 2022 season in Denver felt like a soul-crushing “You got Mossed” moment – a harsh reminder that even generational talents aren’t immune to hype trains flying off the rails. But the ultra-competitive former Super Bowl champ isn’t going down without an “Unlimited” fight.

“I feel revived in every way, mentally, emotionally, spiritually,” Wilson professed via Brooke Pryor of ESPN about his fresh start in Pittsburgh. “I feel confident…I felt really good last year playing. And so I think right now I have all that confidence times 10.”

Echoing that rejuvenated swagger, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith declared to pressors recently “Russ is in the pole position” for the starting QB job, praising his new signal caller’s “ridiculous” arm talent. With an overhauled O-line featuring three 2024 draft picks and premier free agent gets like All-Pro linebacker Patrick Queen, the championship-starved Steel City is buzzing about Wilson steering them back to the promised land.

It’s an enticing parallel to Rodgers’ blockbuster trade to the Jets – a fellow future Hall of Famer aiming to pen an iconic career epilogue after late struggles with the Packers. Analyst Ric Bucher directly compared the two situations, questioning the certainty of betting on Rodgers to singlehandedly lift New York if Wilson’s “good enough” form couldn’t get it done with a playoff-caliber Pittsburgh team.

Like Pittsburgh, New York surrounded the 40-year-old with an impressive supporting cast headlined by explosive playmakers.

But Wilson’s rocky 19-touchdown, 11-interception Denver debut that saw him endure a league-high 55 sacks serves as a cautionary tale that even transcendent talents struggle to just “flip a switch” onto elite form when changing teams late in their careers. Rodgers’s former teammate David Bakhtiari cautioned on the Adam Schefter podcast this week, “I don’t think it’s very wise for any betting man to say that Aaron Rodgers is not going to make the playoffs.”

So while Rodgers rejuvenated long-suffering Jets fans simply by signing on the dotted line, his path to delivering New York’s first playoff berth since 2010 won’t be lined with tulips if Wilson’s Mile High mountain is any indication. The glaring New York media spotlight and immense pressure to finally unlock success will be blinding for the 4x MVP.

Will “The Rodgers Factor” cure the Jets’ playoff woes?

No matter your stance, Rodgers’ arrival has ratcheted up hype for the Jets making a long-awaited postseason appearance. His former teammate James Jones is outright stamping them as “a lock to win this division” and reach the playoffs, citing Rodgers’ sterling track record of just 3 missed postseasons in healthy campaigns over his 19-year career.

“Aaron is going to make sure his team’s in the playoffs year after year after year,” Jones gushed on SPEAK. “One of the best teams he’s had around him from top to bottom [with] skill positions, defense, O-line, running game.”

Not everyone is as bullish on banking on “The Rodgers Factor” however. Echoing those doubts, LeSean McCoy believes the talented Jets roster alone gives them a “big shot” at finally snapping their 12-year playoff drought – but not necessarily because of an aging, recently erratic Rodgers.

“I don’t know how good he really is no more like we think he’s MVP,” McCoy said. “I’m going for a really good Jets team.” It’s valid doubt considering Rodgers posted pedestrian stats (26 TDs, 12 INTs) and missed the playoffs over his final two seasons in Green Bay.

So while they’re trendy playoff picks after landing Rodgers, New York’s postseason road isn’t devoid of potholes. Just ask Wilson’s new mates in Pittsburgh about the challenges of an all-time great changing teams late and instantly reigniting their flames. For two greying superstars, their chance to author a fairytale ending hinges on fending off doubts about whether they have enough magic left to make it happen.