There were obvious concerns about how Aaron Rodgers would look in his first season back after tearing his Achilles a year ago. By all accounts, Rodgers has exceeded expectations through the NY Jets' first three weeks of the season.
Rodgers is fresh off one of the best performances by a Jets quarterback in years (low bar, I know) in his team's 24-3 demolition of the New England Patriots. He's thrown for five touchdowns and just one interception (on a tipped pass no less) while completing over 67 percent of his passes and averaging 7.3 yards per attempt.
Rodgers has been one of the NFL's best quarterbacks through three weeks, as evidenced by his 84.5 Pro Football Focus grade which ranks fourth among all QBs. Any concerns most had about the status of his Achilles have seemingly been pushed aside.
But Rodgers still doesn't feel 100%. The four-time MVP told reporters on Wednesday that he still isn't "bereft of some difficulties with the Achilles." Rodgers insisted that he's felt better each week, but it's clearly still a work in progress.
"I can’t say I’m bereft of some difficulties with the Achilles, but it’s a process. I feel better [from] Week 1 to Week 2, Week 2 to Week 3, and then we got a nice little gift there with the long weekend, so I feel better. I said after Week 1 I felt like I was going to progress and be able to move around a little bit more, I did that maybe a little bit against Tennessee and then obviously moved around a lot more effectively in Week 3."
- Aaron Rodgers
This shouldn't come as a surprise, nor should it be seen as any sort of red flag. Rodgers has played just three games since tearing his Achilles, and at 40 years old, it's expected that it will take some time for him to feel normal again.
Rodgers displayed some early signs of rust in the Jets' first two games of the season. He looked hesitant and often immobile in the pocket. He was seemingly afraid to get hit and didn't showcase the ability to extend plays as he's often done throughout his career.
But the Rodgers we saw in Week 3 looked much closer to vintage Rodgers. He was able to extend plays with his legs. He looked comfortable navigating the pocket. The hesitancy he showed in Weeks 1 and 2 was practically gone.
Aaron Rodgers looked like Aaron Rodgers.
The future Hall of Famer even admitted that he "moved around a lot more effectively" in the Patriots game, even rushing for 18 yards. This continued improvement in comfortability bodes well for Rodgers and the Jets' offense.
It's also important to note that the Jets faced a particularly difficult start to their season, playing three games in just 11 days, including a road trip out west. That's challenging for any quarterback, let alone a 40-year-old coming off a torn Achilles.
Rodgers is finally beginning to find his footing again, both literally and figuratively. His recovery is a work in progress, but Jets fans have to be encouraged with what they've seen to this point.
