Rams vs Jets in Week 16 may be the last time these elite QBs clash

If you wanted to have an excuse for the LA Rams to sit up and not let their guard down against the New York Jets in Week 16, you are in luck. If they do, it's all on them. You seem despite the Jets' elimination from any postseason competition, they remain a force to be reckoned with. As if to prove my point, the Jets walloped the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15 by a score of 32-25. They trailed the Jaguars on the road by a score of 13-7 have halftime.

The Jets chemistry between veteran WR Davante Adams and QB Aaron Rodgers was on full display, as the pair connected on nine of 12 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Jets WR Garrett Wilson hauled in three of six passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. And even Jets RB Breece Hall got into the act, carrying nine times for 30 yards, while catching both passes thrown his way for 21 yards.

In a game playing for pride itself, the Jets veterans proved to themselves and to the NFL fans at large that they are not a team to be trifled with. And I hope the LA Rams' entire football team noticed. After all, had the Jets lost their Week 15 to the Jaguars, how easily would the Rams players consider them a true threat in Week 16?

A similar scenario aligned in 2020. The Rams were 9-4, and were riding a wave of success, thanks to a two-game winning streak and winning four out of five games after their Week 9 BYE. The lowly Jets limped into SoFi Stadium with a record of 0-13, with nothing to play for except pride. Led by a much younger Sam Darnold at quarterback, the Jets shocked the Rams by winning with a score of 23-20.

But that game carried even more dire consequences. The Jets proved to the NFL that the way to defeat the Rams and their top-ranked defense was simply to attack the middle of the football field. THe Rams had invested next to nothing in the inside linebacker position under then-DC Brandon Staley, and the Jets ran and passed at the heart of the defense for the win.

The Green Bay Packers, led by then-quarterback Aaron Rodgers, doubled down on that strategy in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs for a victory that eliminated the Rams from advancing.

It's Deja Vu all over again

Now we've come full circle. The Rams are on a winning streak. The Jets seemingly pose little threat. And the team must face the master of the pocket, Aaron Rodgers, in a test that will either prove the Rams worthy of post-season competition or release a billowing cloud of doubt over the Rams for the final two games of the season.

And as the great Paul Harvey used to say during his syndicated national radio broadcast: "And now, the rest of the story . . . "

Let's push the records of these two teams to the side for just a moment. The real story that runs like a rip tide for this game is more than a tale of the Jets and the Rams, but on the two titans of the past decade at quarterback have a chance to face off once more. This is a game to be recorded, not just for the hope of some reminder of a game no longer played by pocket passers, but to preserve the essence of two quarterbacks who have spent their entire NFL careers at being the best that they could be.

You can make a case for both starting quarterbacks in this Week 16 clash to end up in the NFL Hall of Fame already. And to be honest, both have compelling careers that warrant such honors. But neither quarterback has thrown in the towel and acquiesced to the fact that both are aging past their prime.

That is the true nature of professional football competitiveness. Both players are so dedicated that they are willing to risk their legacies for a chance to compete for one more football game, one more playoff game, and a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy once more.

Week 16 is the Rams vs the Jets, and a whole lot more

Despite the fact that the Jets are only 4-10 on the season, the Rams (8-6) are not assured of a win against them. Since their Week 12 BYE, the Jets are 1-2, but their combined margins 79 points score versus 83 points allowed. Four total points have been the difference between these Jets and their opponents, the Seattle Seahawks, the Miami Dolphins, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jets roster is not comprised of a bunch of pie-eyed rookies. The Jets roster was assembled with the intent to compete in the postseason. Veterans came to the Jets, intending to fulfill those aspirations. Clearly, that never happened.

The thing is, veteran players don't quit after the season runs off the rails. They understand that each game matters in ways that they may not understand or see in the moment. But future contracts, and the appeal of players to NFL team general managers, depend heavily on what those players do after their postseason chances have evaporated. These players are now playing for the right to keep on playing in 2025, whether with the Jets or some otherer team.

It will come down to the Rams, the Jets, Matthew Stafford, and Aaron Rodgers. And this could the last time that these two elite quarterbacks face off in the NFL. Take nothing for granted folks. Both teams want to win this one. Both quarterbacks want to punctuate their careers by defeating the other.

But only one team needs the victory. The other is playing the game for the love of the game only. The Rams can win the NFC West Division whether they win or lose to the Jets in New York in Week 16. But the Jets need to win to preserve their pride, self-respect, and individual players' marketability.

That makes the Jets a very dangerous foe in Week 16.

As always, thanks for reading.