Jets-Raiders Takeaways: Aaron Rodgers Eyeing Return; Maxx Crosby Makes Case for DPOY

Zach Wilson & Co. couldn’t piece together a win against the Raiders on Sunday Night Football, falling to 4–5 on a season that could be slipping away.

Watching the Raiders host the Jets on Sunday night reminded me of a debate I once accidentally sparked after drafting wide receiver Davante Adams in my priority fantasy football league.

I called Adams the best player on the Raiders as I shouted at one of my league mates to add his name to the draft board. Two of my friends, both Raiders fans, quickly disagreed.

They countered with Maxx Crosby as Las Vegas’s best overall player. If these were strangers, I would have probably agreed. Crosby is one of the premier edge rushers in the league. But I’ve known these friends since high school and college, so naturally I continued to make counter arguments. (Or maybe it was the Modelos that kept me arguing.)

Honestly, there’s no wrong answer, but I had to defend the newest player on my fantasy team. I also drafted Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson that night. Two Ferraris being driven by two of the worst offenses in the league this season. As you can guess, my fantasy football team hasn’t done well.

Wilson hasn’t had Aaron Rodgers for most of the season, but the quarterback told NBC sideline reporter Melissa Stark he’s hoping to return by mid-December, which would be a remarkable feat after the 39-year-old tore his Achilles two months ago.

Rodgers made a quick return to the Jets’ sideline walking without crutches :: Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports

If Rodgers returns, he might have nothing to play for, with the Jets losing to the Raiders, 16–12, and dropping to 4–5 on the season.

Let’s examine how Adams, Wilson and Crosby did Sunday night, plus more with our takeaways from the prime-time matchup.

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Aaron Rodgers aiming for mid-December return

The quarterback told Stark he wasn’t in the mood to throw the pigskin around during pregame warmups in Las Vegas. Maybe he was waiting to see whether the Jets would come out on top before throwing passes in front of the cameras again.

In all seriousness, maybe it’s not a bad idea for Rodgers to play at least one game this season, regardless of where the Jets stand in the playoff race next month. (With upcoming games against the Dolphins and Bills, they might not be in the picture.)

Zach Wilson’s poor play, which was the case again in Las Vegas, hasn’t allowed the Jets to play off their standout defense for most of the season. Perhaps backup Trevor Siemian could provide a spark, but the Jets don’t seem interested in benching Wilson, the 2021 No. 2 pick. 

But back to Rodgers: Maybe a meaningless game with the veteran getting a feel for his teammates could lead to momentum for next season. It’s not much, but seeing Rodgers play a full game might be a nice Christmas gift for tortured Jets fans.

Maxx Crosby should be in DPOY conversation

With the Raiders and Jets trading field-goals most of the night, it’s only right that the first on-field takeaway is about the defense.

Crosby again made an impact for the Raiders’ defense by consistently applying pressure on quarterback Zach Wilson. Early in the game, Crosby’s presence forced Wilson to throw a shovel pass with no one around, drawing an intentional grounding call. (You know you’ve entered elite status when just being near the pocket is enough to make opposing quarterbacks do risky things.) The Jets did a decent job containing Crosby in pass protection, but the defensive end still found a way to disrupt the Jets’ rushing attack.

Crosby is consistently the biggest threat on the Raiders’ defense :: Candice Ward/USA TODAY Sports

Crosby is a legit contender for Defensive Player of the Year. He has turned the Raiders’ defense into a formidable unit and been remarkably disruptive this season, even without much help on the defensive front.

On the other hand, Myles Garrett, another strong candidate for DPOY, has had plenty of help with the Browns this season. The 49ers’ Nick Bosa and Cowboys’ Micah Parsons also play alongside loaded defensive lines. Crosby entered Week 10 with a league-leading 53 pressures and had played 98% of the Raiders’ defensive snaps, according to the NBC broadcast.

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Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson get involved early

Crosby doesn’t need the ball to impact games. But that’s not the case for Adams and Wilson, two of the best wideouts in the league.

The Raiders and Jets prioritized getting the ball to their best offensive playmakers, but that didn’t lead to touchdowns. Adams did make a few spectacular grabs in the first half, including a one-handed catch that made the rounds on social media. The receiver also had a tough matchup against All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, but, luckily for Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year didn’t shadow Adams.

Wilson missed a few plays in the third quarter while getting medical attention on the sideline, making it all the more obvious how badly the Jets need him on the field. The Raiders don’t have an All-Pro cornerback, but Patrick Graham’s crew played well enough to force Zach Wilson to throw the ball to other pass-catchers not named Garret Wilson.

Adams was held to just six receptions and 86 yards, while Wilson totaled 93 yards over nine receptions.

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Raiders lean on Josh Jacobs to rally against Jets

At halftime Sunday, Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce told the broadcast he wanted to run the ball more. And that’s exactly what interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree did in the second half, leaning on his workhorse running back Josh Jacobs.

Jacobs’s 40-yard run in the fourth quarter set up the game’s first touchdown: O’Connell threw a seven-yard pass to rookie tight end Michael Mayer, who made the highlight play by jumping over a defender in the corner of the end zone to bring Las Vegas up 16–9. Jacobs finished with 116 yards over 27 carries.

Mayer, the 2023 second-round pick, appears to have a bright future with the Raiders. O’Connell, a ’23 fourth-round pick, might not be the franchise quarterback, but he could be a quality backup for years to come.