{"id":12619,"date":"2023-12-03T16:50:52","date_gmt":"2023-12-03T13:50:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/12619\/why-the-jets-aaron-rodgers\/"},"modified":"2023-12-03T16:50:52","modified_gmt":"2023-12-03T13:50:52","slug":"why-the-jets-aaron-rodgers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/?p=12619","title":{"rendered":"Why the Jets&#8217; Aaron Rodgers and Mekhi Becton share a special bond"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Why the Jets&#8217; Aaron Rodgers and Mekhi Becton share a special bond\u060c<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<ul class=\"authors\">\n<li class=\"mugshot-shown\">\n<div class=\"author-img\"><\/div>\n<p>Rich Cimini, ESPN editor<span class=\"timestamp \">December 3, 2023, 11:00 a.m.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"author-overlay\">Close<\/p>\n<ul>Rich Cimini is a writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL on ESPN.  Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years and joined ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast.  He was previously a writer for the New York Daily News and graduated from Syracuse University.  You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>FLORHAM PARK, NJ \u2013 A look at what&#8217;s happening around the New York Jets:<\/p>\n<p><b>1. Emotional introduction:<\/b> The meeting took place in Las Vegas, where the Jets played three weeks ago.  Mekhi Becton&#8217;s mother introduced herself to Aaron Rodgers, and soon there was a warm hug and tears of joy for Semone Becton.<\/p>\n<p>There have been plenty of stories since the spring about the star quarterback&#8217;s impact on individual Jets players.  Becton, the 6-foot-7, 360-pound tackle, could top the list.  After battling two devastating knee injuries, a weight issue and intense criticism from fans and media during his first three seasons, the 2020 first-round pick felt alienated at times.  He needed support.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline editorial float-r\" data-behavior=\"article_related\">\n<h2 class=\"editorial-title\">Editor&#8217;s Choice<\/h2>\n<p>2 Related<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Recognizing the situation, Rodgers took Becton under his wing before the season, and they hit it off.  In Vegas, Rodgers received his mother&#8217;s approval.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;She walked up to him and just said, &#8216;Thank you for getting my son back,&#8217; and things like that,&#8221; Becton told ESPN.  &#8220;And he said to me, &#8216;Mrs. Becton, I hug your son every day, so I know what it&#8217;s like.&#8217;  And she started crying a little bit and they even kissed. So it was a big moment, for sure.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Playing with a twice-repaired right knee that still isn&#8217;t 100 percent, Becton has come through the season with a newfound determination.  He missed his first game last <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/week\/\"   title=\"week\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">week<\/a> with a sprained ankle, but is expected to return to the lineup Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.  He&#8217;s finally becoming the player he was supposed to be and he gives Rodgers a lot of credit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to have him as an ear, as a person that really listens and that I can really speak to, he understands where I&#8217;m coming from,\u201d Becton said.  \u201cIt\u2019s been really easy to talk to him and stuff like that.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline inline-photo full\">\n<figure><picture><source data- media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source data- media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><img class=\" lazyload lazyload\" data-image-container=\".inline-photo\" height=\"320\" width=\"570\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"photoCaption\">Mekhi Becton (along with Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett) has been a pretty healthy presence for the team this season. <cite>Photo by Justin Edmonds\/Getty Images<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n<p>It&#8217;s not just about <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/football\/\"   title=\"football\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">football<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s more spiritual,\u201d he says.  \u201cI\u2019m just opening my eyes to new things, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When Rodgers came out of the locker room Wednesday \u2014 his first practice since Sept. 13 Achilles surgery \u2014 he noticed Becton in the trainer&#8217;s area and walked over to him.  The two men hugged for several seconds.  For what?  Because it was their daily hug, that&#8217;s why.<\/p>\n<p><b>2. Frustrated cook:<\/b> Dalvin Cook had just one rushing attempt in the most recent game \u2013 a career low.  It was two races the week before.  For the season, there are only 50. Needless to say, this season is not going as he envisioned in August, when he signed a one-year contract worth 7 million of dollars.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor any guy who has produced in this league, it\u2019s frustrating,\u201d the four-time <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/pro\/\"   title=\"Pro\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">Pro<\/a> Bowl running back told ESPN.  \u201cYou want to be productive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cook said he doesn&#8217;t regret his decision to sign with the Jets and doesn&#8217;t expect to be traded before the Oct. 31 deadline.  He said he would not seek release because his family is based in New Jersey.  Basically, he&#8217;ll just get through it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was just hoping to be in the right situation for me,\u201d he said.  &#8220;Like I said, I want an opportunity. I feel good. My body is ready to roll. I was just hoping for a good opportunity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-behavior=\"video_scroll\" class=\"contentItem__content contentItem__content--media-card contentItem__content--fullWidth contentItem__content--inline\">\n<figure data-video=\"watch,640,360,39021941\" data-cerebro-id=\"656a594cbe6ab32506197a56\" data-title=\"Tannenbaum expects a low-scoring affair between Jets-Falcons\" class=\"media-wrapper_image video\" data-source=\"espn\"><picture class=\"media-wrapper_image\"><source data- media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source data- media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><img class=\" lazyload lazyload\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><span class=\"video-play-button\" data-id=\"39021941\">play<\/span><figcaption class=\"media-caption\">\n<p>0:35<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"contentItem__contentWrapper\">\n<p>Tannenbaum expects low-scoring affair between Jets-Falcons<\/p>\n<p class=\"contentItem__subhead\">Mike Tannenbaum leads the Falcons to a <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/win\/\"   title=\"win\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">win<\/a> over the Jets in Week 13.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Cook spoke in the past tense.  Asked if he thought his opportunity had passed, he replied: \u201cTell me.\u201d  He won&#8217;t go to the coaches to ask for more touches.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHonestly, I feel like if you put my tape in, I\u2019ve proven myself in this league,\u201d he said.  &#8220;I&#8217;m not begging for portages. I feel like I was brought here for a reason.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Cook, who did not have a training camp, was slow at the <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/start\/\"   title=\"start\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">start<\/a> of the season, but he has seemed faster in recent weeks (41 yards on his last seven carries).  It might be a good idea to give him more touches, especially with Breece Hall mired in a six-game slump.  Cook watches and waits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think I could change the game sometimes,\u201d he said.  \u201cIt\u2019s just who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><b>3. Reality check:<\/b> The Jets are criticized for their handling of the backup quarterback position.  Clearly, the offseason decision to give the job to Zach Wilson didn&#8217;t work out.  But know this: when a team is forced to play its replacement, the results are rarely good.<\/p>\n<p>Look around the league.  When forced to start a backup due to a starter injury, teams are 14-26 (.350), according to ESPN Stats &#038; Information research.  (This does not include Jets backups.) The only backups with at least two wins and a QBR total above league average (52.4) are Gardner Minshew of the Indianapolis Colts (4-3, 53.7) and Tyson of the Chicago Bears.  Bagent (2-2, 53.5).<\/p>\n<p>Wilson and Tim Boyle have a combined record of 3-7 (.300).  While that&#8217;s no excuse for the offense to perform at a historically mediocre level, the league-wide trend shows that head coaches can&#8217;t work miracles with a QB2.<\/p>\n<div data-behavior=\"video_scroll\" class=\"contentItem__content contentItem__content--media-card contentItem__content--fullWidth contentItem__content--inline\">\n<figure data-video=\"watch,640,360,39022073\" data-cerebro-id=\"656a5ee1be6ab32506198f64\" data-title=\"How should bettors play the over\/under with the Falcons-Jets game?\" class=\"media-wrapper_image video\" data-source=\"espn\"><picture class=\"media-wrapper_image\"><source data- media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source data- media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><img class=\" lazyload lazyload\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><span class=\"video-play-button\" data-id=\"39022073\">play<\/span><figcaption class=\"media-caption\">\n<p>0:40<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"contentItem__contentWrapper\">\n<p>How should bettors play the over\/under with the Falcons-Jets game?<\/p>\n<p class=\"contentItem__subhead\">Tyler Fulghum expects a low-scoring affair between the Falcons and Jets and advises taking the upper hand in the matchup.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><b>4. Beautiful wheels:<\/b> Rodgers has a custom scooter in front of his locker.  It&#8217;s green (of course), with the number 8 painted white.  There&#8217;s a little New Jersey license plate, a vanity plate that says &#8220;LOOK AT ME.&#8221;  A teammate snapped: \u201cNobody touches that thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><b>5. Just Soup:<\/b> In his first interview with local media after his injury, Rodgers revealed one of the secrets to his speedy recovery: bone broth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI drink fucking bone broth every day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The broth contains large amounts of nutrients and collagen, which benefits the tendons, among other things.  Rodgers, who is still aiming to play this season, believes his diet has been key to his speedy recovery.  He avoids foods that trigger inflammatory responses.  Examples: sugar, red meat and fried foods.<\/p>\n<p><b>6. Pine weather:<\/b> Receiver Allen Lazard said he was &#8220;caught off guard&#8221; by last week&#8217;s benching.  He understood the reason once it was explained to him.  It&#8217;s been a disappointing year for Lazard, who has just 20 catches after signing a four-year, $44 million contract.  He knows he can be better, but he also emphasized that football is the ultimate team sport.  He will be active against the Falcons, coach Robert Saleh said.<\/p>\n<p>Wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni challenged his players, telling them that someone had to take on the WR2 role opposite Garrett Wilson.  \u201cBut no one has taken the bait yet,\u201d he said.  Lazard was supposed to be that guy.<\/p>\n<p><b>7. Hammer time:<\/b> Saleh did not hesitate to go after underperforming players.  Consider: He benched Lazard and Zach Wilson, demoted running back Michael Carter (traded) and phased out wide receiver Randall Cobb.  Also traded was wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who never really had a chance.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline float-r inline-track\">\n<h2 class=\"img-title\">NFL Playoff Machine<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-lazyload=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1700148964_728_Deshaun-Watson-shoulder-injury-What-it-means-for-the.jpg\" class=\"round lazyload\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Simulate your own scenarios and check out the latest playoff picture. <b>Playoff machine \u00bb<\/b><br \/>\u2022 Projection of the table of the playoffs, races \u00bb<br \/>\u2022 Complete schedule \u00bb |  Rankings \u00bb |  More &#8220;<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Who&#8217;s next?  It probably won&#8217;t happen this week, but tight end CJ Uzomah has seen his playing time dwindle to almost nothing.  There are no other options on the roster, but that could change next week when Kenny Yeboah could be activated from injured reserve.<\/p>\n<p><b>8. No \u201cperson\u201d to celebrate:<\/b> The Jets have played 11 games, or 65% of the season.  Why is this remarkable?  Well, that&#8217;s when the Green Bay Packers and Cheesehead Nation were hoping to enter the draft lottery.<\/p>\n<p>The conditional 2024 second-round pick in the Rodgers trade was projected to become a first-rounder if he played in 65% of snaps this season.  The suspense ended in week 1. His total: Four snaps, which projects to 0.004% of snaps.<\/p>\n<p><b>9. Ball magnet:<\/b> Backup safety Ashtyn Davis recorded two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, one of five Jets since 2008 with at least two of each in a season.  But here&#8217;s the surprising part: He only played 100 snaps on defense.<\/p>\n<p><b>10. The last word:<\/b> &#8220;If you can&#8217;t call your best players on offense, you can&#8217;t really call anyone. I said it last week: I&#8217;m proud to be an &#8216;A&#8217; player. If I am called, you can I won&#8217;t be hurt. You can&#8217;t be sad about it. <em>&#8212; Breece Hall, lightly criticized by Saleh<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why the Jets&#8217; Aaron Rodgers and Mekhi Becton share a special bond\u060c Rich Cimini, ESPN editorDecember 3, 2023, 11:00 a.m. Close Rich Cimini is a writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL on ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years and joined ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12620,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[689,6916,3580,1888,6915,2067,1935,1930],"class_list":["post-12619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-sports","tag-aaron","tag-becton","tag-bond","tag-jets","tag-mekhi","tag-rodgers","tag-share","tag-special"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12619"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12621,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12619\/revisions\/12621"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}