Aaron Rodgers says interception late in first half 'changed the whole energy'

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn't mince his words.

“That game, for whatever reason, just changed the whole energy, changed the game,” he said.

Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich echoed his veteran quarterback when he said, “A huge change in dynamic.”

The play he was referring to occurred with 1:21 left in the first half of Sunday night's game at Acrisure Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets had built a 15-6 lead, had the ball and the opportunity to extend the lead and then do even more with the kickoff in the second half. From the shotgun, Rodgers sent a dart over deep center intended for Garrett Wilson. Instead, Beanie Bishop stepped in front of Wilson to intercept him.

“That play” turned the game on its head, turning a promising start into a 37-15 loss, the Jets' fourth straight loss.

The Steelers (5-2) came to life and scored a touchdown on a pass from Russell Wilson to George Pickens with 32 seconds left in the half. It was the start of Pittsburgh's streak of 31 unanswered points.

“It was a bad throw,” Rodgers said after the game. “I should have just thrown it underneath.”

Rodgers and the Green-Whites' offense (2:5) showed two strong attacks to extend their lead to 15:6. Trailing 3-0, Rodgers completed all six of his passes in a nine-play, 82-yard drive over 5:41 to five different receivers. RB Breece Hall, who failed in the running game (12 carries/38 yards), had the Jets' first touchdown (a 13-yard run), but also caught 4 passes for 93 yards early, including a catch-and-play for 57 yards -Run to the Steelers 1-yard line to set up Rodgers' scoring throw to TE Tyler Conklin. A penalty on the point after allowed the Jets to attempt a 2-point conversion, which Rodgers sank with a pass to Wilson.

The feeling that the Jets were on the verge of controlling the game disappeared after the interception and late Pittsburgh goal. Rodgers said he felt a loss of energy.

“I just felt like the energy, and this starts with me, at halftime, for whatever reason, the energy was a little flat,” he said. “I also had the feeling before the game that it was flat.”