Minnesota Vikings 23, New York Jets 17
AARON RODGERS: Fire away.
Q. Last time you were here in 2022, you've been through a lot of change with the injury. How does the Aaron Rodgers of today differ from the Aaron Rodgers of 2022 when dealing with a loss like this?
AARON RODGERS: I mean, they all hurt. Just got to be, you know, honest with your performance every single week and hold yourself to a standard.
Obviously that was below my standard. I just found out I've never thrown two picks in the first quarter before; so that's a first. One of us cost, obviously, seven, and the other, you know, could have cost three.
So in a game where you lose by six, plays like that are exponentially highlighted. So three turnovers for me is definitely out of character and I'm disappointed.
Q. What happened on the last one?
AARON RODGERS: I just kind of underthrew it a little bit.
Q. You've played --
AARON RODGERS: Well, I think we had a lot of three-and-outs to start. They kind of got in their zero package and third-and-long, it's tough to convert. Tough to be on the same page protection-wise because they can do everything. I feel like we changed the tempo a little bit. That got us playing downhill a little bit, and we just were getting the ball out a little bit quicker.
Q. How are you physically?
AARON RODGERS: Was that your question, too?
Yeah, I'm definitely banged up. Got my foot caught on a pile there. You know, but just seems to be a low ankle sprain. Again, they were trying to get me in the tent, and then we had a rough -- with the kicker, I said screw it, I'm going back out there.
Q. Looked like they were talking --
AARON RODGERS: There were a lot of things that made some noises on the way down.
Q. On the Pick-Six, can you describe what happened?
AARON RODGERS: You know, they had a seven-up presentation. And you know, we got to something that we had talked about, and I peaked the back side or something to the left to see if we were hot or not. And doing that, I totally lost the angle and he made a nice play.
Q. What do you guys have to do to get the running game going?
AARON RODGERS: I mean, we've got to figure out exactly what our best runs are based on the first five games now, and you know, we've tried to establish the run in most of these games early. And sometimes you've got to switch it up and maybe throw it to establish the run.
Q. Why have you struggled with over the last two weeks?
AARON RODGERS: I've probably had two on me that I should have handled better. A lot of the stuff we'd seen. It just stuff that we walk through, single pressure, replacement stuff.
So we'll be real critical as we look at the film. But in general, I've got to play to the standard I know I'm capable of playing, and the rest of that stuff takes care of itself.
Q. How would you explain the slow starts? Last week and again today. How hard is that to overcome?
AARON RODGERS: Yeah, puts our defense in a hole. They played great. They gave up 16 points to that offense that's been ripping everybody up. Without Slaus for a decent part of the game. Without MC. So credit to Brick and those boys over there. I mean, my guy, BE, came up with another big-time pick that we turned the points. So they kept us in the game and we kind of did just enough.
But we need to be playing from the lead. So we've got it start faster. We say it every week, what's the magic recipe for that and we are going to go spend some time this week trying to figure that out.
Q. Despite the loss, if you take the Pick-Six away, offensively --
AARON RODGERS: You can't take it away, though.
Q. Two good teams and in good form, what can you take away?
AARON RODGERS: I think there's always positives to take. It's good to get G involved. Moved him around a lot. Gave him a lot of different routes. You know, could have had even some bigger ones. He slipped on the one that could have been-touchdown. He slipped on the in-break that could have been a big one out the back.
So the field, there was some conversation around the slipperiness of the field. But both teams are playing on it. We've got to handle that.
But most important positive to take with us is if we stick together. Because there will be a lot of people outside the building who won't be sticking with the Jets. So we stick together.
I still have a lot of confidence in this team. I think it's a team that's going to make a run, and whether that run starts next week, the following week, or whenever it might be, I'm confident in our guys and I'm confident in the leadership and confident we'll get this thing straightened out.
Q. How would you assess where the offence is lagging?
AARON RODGERS: We're playing below our potential. Too many mistakes. You know, I thought until now, I think we've only had two turnovers, which was good, because you give yourselves a chance.
But we're slow starters. Too many mental errors. Just too many mistakes in general. That's hard to overcome, and then you know for me, I've got to take care of the football. Can't turn the ball over three times and win in this league.
Q. Without Morgan --
AARON RODGERS: I mean, I don't want to say we don't miss Morgan. He's a fantastic player, and his personality is so infectious for us. I'll have to look at the film but I have a lot of confidence in Olu playing left side or right side at any point this season. The more reps he gets, the more comfortable he's going to be.
We have to help him out from time to time but you'd like to helpfully tackle out. But I know Morgan, he's a tough, tough dude, and I would guess he's going to try and play this next week.
Q. Before the game, I spoke to Minnesota Vikings legend Jake Reed and, he said the most intimidating thing about playing the New York Jets is Aaron Rodgers. I wonder, what is it like for you to get respect from a legend like that?
AARON RODGERS: Well, I've had a lot of wins over the years against the Vikings. So they know me well. Now, it's not the same record that maybe in Chicago, they probably hate me a little worse. But there have been some great battles over the years.
I saw another legend that I played against in Jared Allen. First time I played against him, he sacked me five times. A couple of those times, I didn't have a chance. It was so damn loud at the old Metrodome.
I've enjoyed the battles over the years. Unless we both get to the Super Bowl, the way the schedule is laid out, I'm not sure there's going to be another one.
So it's been good battles over the years. I have a lot of respect for that team. Some of those guys, I guess there's less now, but Harrison Smith, I played against him since his rookie year in 2012, I believe. A lot of respect for him. A lot of great battles over the years. Thankful for the rivalry. Athough it's not as big of a rivalry as Green Bay/Chicago.
Q. (Did you think the field was an issue)?
AARON RODGERS: I don't run as fast as those guys, so it wasn't slippery for me.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports