Aaron Rodgers needed an extra split second for the play he wanted to come to fruition Thursday night. At this stage of his career, Rodgers can’t afford to take extra hits, and definitely not on the night he played his first regular-season game for the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium since tearing his Achilles tendon on that same field 12 months ago.
The four-time MVP made a risky decision, but it’s not really a gamble when the greatest processor of his generation was sure the play would be there against the New England Patriots. Rodgers looked right to move the linebacker away from the middle of the field. Then, he made a subtle hitch to buy time before flicking the pass to tight end Tyler Conklin for a 22-yard gain, barely missing the swipe at his legs from a Patriots defender.
