It’s too early, after the third of 18 regular-season weeks, to be finishing a symphony for the Jets’ league-leading third-down offense. But considering the off notes they had sounded for the previous 25 years, during which they had the lowest combined third-down conversion rate among the league’s 32 teams, this season’s sudden success is music to the ears of the Green & White and their fans.
Head coach Robert Saleh heard it coming for months.
“We felt like anytime we did move-the-ball periods in training camp, whenever our first-team unit was up even against our defense, it was 10, 12 — I mean, I think they had an 18-play drive in there one week,” Saleh said of the third-down unit. "What we’ve done a great job of over the first three weeks of the season offensively … we’re doing a really nice job of just keeping the ball moving forward. And then obviously on third down, Aaron is making plays, the receivers are getting open, the O-line’s protecting all-around.
“It’s been fun to watch from an efficiency standpoint.”
Here are some Jets third-down high notes heading into Week 4 at home against Denver on Sunday:
■ Their 56.8% conversion rate, with their 10-for-15 showing in the win over New England lifting them to 21-for-37 overall, is not only first in the league after three weeks but it’s also the Jets’ best third-down rate after the first three weeks of a season in franchise history. Previous bests: 1982, 19-for-35, 54.3% and 1967, 24-for-45, 53.3%.
■ The Jets’ figure is the best in the NFL after three weeks since Buffalo’s 61.0% in 2022 and Kansas City’s 58.5% in '20. Still, according to statspass.com, this is the first time the Jets have led the NFL after three weeks since at least 1991, when third-down success began to be rigorously charted.
■ And none of this should be a surprise with A-Rod on the podium … er, under center on crunch downs. Limiting the numbers to third-down passing only, since 2008, when Rodgers became Green Bay’s starter, his passer rating of 105.1 is second in the league only to Patrick Mahomes’ 110.3. And the Packers’ third-down offense from 2008 through Rodgers’ last season there in '22 converted third downs 42.4% of the time, No. 5 in the NFL in that span.
“It’s just confidence,” said Joe Tippmann, Rodgers’ young but rapidly maturing center. “It’s the O-line’s confidence in our ability to give him time. And if we can give him time, he’s going to make a play. He’s going to make something happen.”