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by Zack Rosenblatt, Gary Gramling and Amos Morale III Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes in the second half to fuel the New York Jets’ 21-13 victory against the Houston Texans on “Thursday Night Football.” Rodgers connected with receiver Garrett Wilson twice and Davante Adams once to help the Jets pick up their third win of the season and snap a five-game skid. Advertisement New York’s second half played out in stark contrast to its first which saw several mistakes, including rookie receiver Malachi Corley dropping the ball before crossing the goal line on what should have been a 19-yard touchdown run.
The Texans had several miscues Thursday night, including two missed field goals. Houston quarterback C.J.
Stroud also had an uncharacteristically inaccurate night, posting the third-lowest passer rating of his career (59.2) Jets beat Texans on ‘Thursday Night Football’ behind Aaron Rodgers’ 3 TDs: Live updates and reaction With one hand? The story of Thursday night was Wilson’s remarkable one-handed touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter, one that will have some debating whether it was the greatest catch to ever occur at MetLife Stadium — on par with Odell Beckham’s famous one-handed grab. Wilson’s touchdown gave the Jets the lead — and the momentum they needed to carry them to a much-needed win.
The first half was mostly a disaster — but the defense held up just enough to hold the Texans to just seven points, and then the Jets offense woke up in the second half. GARRETT WILSON WITH A CATCH FOR THE AGES! #TNFonPrime pic.twitter.
com/whs5Jf6R0Y — NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) November 1, 2024 Wilson in particular was the biggest reason for the turnaround on offense: His 21-yard catch-and-run touchdown — also one-handed — started the impressive second half. The Jets clinched the win when Rodgers connected for his first touchdown pass to Adams when he broke open and Rodgers struck him easily for a 37-yard score. — Zack Rosenblatt, Jets beat writer Jets back to their old ways The defense also certainly held up their end of the bargain, the first time in a long time the Jets’ offense and defense played relatively well at the same time.
The Jets’ defense finished with seven sacks and were constantly pressuring Stroud, even if they struggled to contain running back Joe Mixon (24 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown) and wide receiver Tank Dell beat them deep a few times. Advertisement The Jets, for the second straight year, had Stroud’s number: the star quarterback finished 11 of 30 for 191 yards and no touchdowns. — Rosenblatt It’s not easy bein’ Green Never have Kermit the Frog’s lyrics rang so true.
Left guard Kenyon Green , a 2022 first-rounder, was benched during Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts , only to be reinserted into the lineup with his replacement, Jarrett Patterson , unable to play Thursday night due to a concussion. So it was back to Green, and it didn’t go well. He was repeatedly singled up against the Jets’ best defensive lineman, Quinnen Williams , and the Texans paid the price.
Among Williams’ first-half highlights was a strip-sack of Stroud, and after a second-quarter play on which Williams drove Green into Stroud’s lap to force an incompletion, Green left with a shoulder injury. He was replaced by Kendrick Green . The latter Green fared better, particularly when executing some gap-blocking concepts in the ground game, though he still had his issues.
Some of them were against Williams but, on a key third down in the fourth quarter, he was beaten cleanly by...
Micheal Clemons ? That left guard spot is going to remain a problem in Houston. (And just so we’re clear: Kermit was merely felt, foam and wire; “Bein’ Green” was written by Joe Raposo and performed by Jim Henson.) — Gary Gramling, NFL editor The Texans will still enjoy their mini-bye Kirk Herbstreit mentioned during the telecast that Stroud admitted he was beat up coming into Thursday night.
What unfolded on the field surely didn’t help, as Stroud was hit early and often. He was slow to get up on his last (meaningful) snap of the first half when Jets defensive lineman Solomon Thomas leg-whipped him (uncalled by officials) on a sack. On the other side of the ball, the Texans’ defensive MVP, Will Anderson, suffered an apparent ankle injury in the first half and, after briefly returning, did not play after halftime.
The Jets did what they could to give this game away. But, with Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs out, Texans receivers were unable to separate. Houston’s offensive line couldn’t protect Stroud.
Stroud had an uneven night regardless. It was a stunning off night for kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn . Advertisement Houston, though, has some margin for error in the AFC South race, at 6-3 and having already finished a season sweep of the second-place Colts.
Now, they’ll have an extra three days off before hosting the Detroit Lions next week, when they could have Collins back in the lineup. Things are still shaping up nicely for the season’s second half in Houston. — Gramling Required reading.
