After a shaky start to Sunday's Week 2 game at Tennessee, QB Aaron Rodgers and the offense, a stout effort by the defense and special teams helped lead the Jets to a gritty first victory of the 2024 NFL season, 24-17 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. There is little time to celebrate ahead of Thursday night's home opener against New England (plus the possible season-ending injury sustained by edge Jermaine Johnson), but here are five plays that were keys to the victory:
No. 1 -- Will McDonald IV's Third Sack of the Game
McDonald, who had 3 of the Jets' 4 sacks in the game, got his third with 29 seconds left in the fourth quarter. On third down at the Jets' 8-yard line, McDonald got to Titans QB Will Levis. Tennessee called time out, and on fourth down Levis' pass to Tyler Boyd from the 14-yard line was broken up to preserve the win.
No. 2 -- Pass Receptions by Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams
Fourth quarter. Score tied, 17-17. Aaron Rodgers leads the Jets on a 7-play, 79-yard game-winning drive that takes 4:10 and culminated in RB Braelon Allen's 20-yard TD run. But before that, Rodgers connected with WR Garrett Wilson on an over-the-shoulder grab for 26 yards to the Tennessee 39-yard line. After a loss of 6 yards on a run play and a timeout, WR Mike Williams went high for his first grab in a Jets uniform for 19 yards to the Titans' 26-yard line.
No. 3 -- Blocked Punt by Irvin Charles
In addition to making a pair of open-field tackles as the gunner on punt returns, Irvin Charles blocked Ryan Stonehouse's punt. Six plays later, after the drive stalled, Greg Zuerlein converted on a 33-yard field-goal attempt to give the Jets a 17-10 lead with 6:01 left in the fourth quarter.
No. 4 -- Interception by Brandin Echols
CB Brandin Echols, playing for the injured D.J. Reed (knee), wrestled a long Will Levis pass out of the arms of Treylon Burks at the 7-minute mark of the second quarter with the Jets trailing by a TD, 7-0. Starting from their 27-yard line, Aaron Rodgers directed a 12-play, 73-yard drive that took 5:05 and ended with Rodgers' bubble screen pass to Braelon Allen that covered 12 yards for the tying score with 1:55 to play in the first half.
No. 5 -- 30-Yard Run by Breece Hall
The Jets didn't quite "lap" the Titans with scores spanning halftime (the Titans took a 10-7 lead on a late second-quarter field goal), but they did go 70 yards in 5 plays with the second-half kickoff. The big play on the drive was Breece Hall's 30-yard dash down the visiting sideline on first down. Two plays later, Aaron Rodgers found Hall behind LB Kenneth Murray, Jr. for 26 yards and a TD, giving the Jets a lead, 14-10.
