Aaron Rodgers’ potential return just an ‘external motivator’ as Jets attempt to get back again to winning

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The New York Jets’ playoff hopes could get a massive enhance with a victory Sunday.

Similar for the odds of an improbable comeback try by Aaron Rodgers.

The Jets (4-7) are mired in a 4-match skid that has them next-to-final in the AFC, in advance of only the division rival Patriots (2-9). They imagine they can flip matters all over to make a late-time run, starting off Sunday towards the Falcons (5-6) — but the chances are dwindling.

“I come to feel like the playoffs are always from 7 days 1 all the way through,” coach Robert Saleh stated Friday. “You can say it really is practically unexpected death, I guess, but you usually have to have the way of thinking to participate in each and every activity like a championship sport and prepare you to operate that way.

“If you might be ready to rachet, to convert it up when it gets daily life or dying, you can say, it can be as well late.”

Rodgers, in the meantime, is doing work his way again from a torn Achilles tendon and nevertheless intends to return this time — as extended as health professionals very clear him to participate in and the Jets continue being in the playoff hunt.

Those people are two major ifs.

When the sight of the quarterback, who turns 40 on Saturday, throwing passes and dropping back again on the apply industry has impressed admirers, his teammates and coaches, Saleh mentioned Rodgers’ probable return shouldn’t necessarily include an additional layer of drive for the crew to win in excess of the future couple weeks.

“That’s an external motivator,” Saleh reported. “We should previously be inspired to be our greatest and which is what we are attempting to coach and a great deal of young fellas on that offensive side of the ball who are just head earlier mentioned h2o, with regards to plan. To assist them target on the points that essentially make scheme and football appear to everyday living is our fashion of enjoy.

“So, as an exterior motivator, those are typically fantastic for a slight thrust. But it are not able to be how you live.”

Rodgers had his 21-working day practice window started Wednesday and he was limited in his return. He sat out Thursday as component of a lighter working day in his rehabilitation. He was restricted once more Friday and mentioned as out for Sunday’s video game, as predicted, but he explained Thursday he would ramp up his functions upcoming week to see wherever he is at physically.

He has had his sights set on returning for the Jets’ dwelling video game from Washington on Dec. 24, but would not rule out a return right before then.

“I feel anything’s attainable,” Rodgers said.

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But he also added that he would not be absolutely healthy a lot less than 4 months because the surgical procedures on Sept. 13 and would be shocked if the group signed off on him enjoying if the Jets are out of the playoff image.

“Personally, I want to go about every week the similar and that is the actuality in the back again of our head, perhaps,” vast receiver Garrett Wilson reported, echoing Saleh’s responses. “My motivation will come from me wanting to be the most effective variation of me.

“And I truly feel Aaron would say the identical about himself.”

Rodgers and the Jets had Tremendous Bowl anticipations coming into the period, but those people ended up shattered when the quarterback went down just four snaps into his debut with New York. Now, the Jets have a 5.3% likelihood of just earning the postseason, in accordance to FanDuel Sportsbook, and snapping the NFL’s longest playoff drought at 12 seasons.

“We’ve obtained to go on the identical solution with regards to mindset and schooling ourselves to solution just about every minute like a championship minute,” Saleh explained. “Our backs are up from a wall and we have to continue on swinging.”

NOTES: RBs Breece Corridor (hamstring), Dalvin Cook dinner (shoulder) and Israel Abanikanda (health issues) have been all shown as questionable for the sport. Corridor was a full participant, even though Cook dinner and Abanikanda were minimal. … OL Wes Schweitzer (calf) and TE Kenny Yeboah (hamstring) have been also questionable.

Reporting by The Connected Push.