Vintage performances by Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers carry Jets past defenseless Jaguars 32-25

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers gave the New York Jets' next general manager and head coach something to ponder with a glimpse into the past — and potentially the future.

Adams caught nine passes from Rodgers for 198 yards and two touchdowns — all in the second half — and the Jets rallied to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 32-25 to end a four-game skid Sunday.

Adams hauled in a 71-yard TD pass with 3:24 remaining and a 41-yarder that set up Breece Hall's 1-yard plunge with 1:05 to play. In between, he made a circus catch along the sideline for a first down.

It was vintage Adams, who became the 12th player in NFL history with 100 receiving touchdowns. And vintage Rodgers, who threw for 289 yards and three scores as the Jets (4-10) topped 30 points for the first time this season. The 41-year-old quarterback also led New York with 45 yards rushing.

“Historic, magical," Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. "To get his 100th TD ... I feel honored to have seen it and to have been here for it. It was an amazing moment for those two guys. Obviously, a lot of ball between them and a lot of touchdowns. So, for them to get that was special.”

No one would be totally surprised to see the Jets run it back with Rodgers and Adams, even though the former Green Bay teammates are scheduled to count nearly $52 million against the Jets’ salary cap in 2025.

After all, they showed their potential together against the Jags.

“Oh yeah, today was one of those days in the second half," Adams said. “Definitely felt very, very similar to the way we used to get it rolling."

Adams' 100th TD grab came on a 1-yard fade route in the third quarter. No. 101 was even more impressive. He streaked down the middle of the field, running past linebacker Devin Lloyd and seeing no safety help from Darnell Savage until it was too late.

Adams was completely uncovered in the flat for the 41-yarder and then tackled at the 1. The Jets probably should have taken a knee from there, forced Jacksonville to use its remaining timeouts and kicked a short field goal to win it. But Hall's plunge gave the Jaguars (3-11) a chance late.

“I wanted to be aggressive, and I wanted the points,” Ulbrich said. "I wanted to put the nail in the coffin at the end.”

Mac Jones drove Jacksonville into Jets territory before throwing his second interception of the day. Sauce Gardner's first pick of the season essentially ended the game.

Jones completed 31 of 46 passes for 294 yards, with two touchdowns to rookie Brian Thomas Jr. and two interceptions. Thomas finished with 10 catches for 105 yards. Tight end Brenton Strange caught 11 passes for 73 yards.

Jones looked as though he would improve to 6-0 as a starter against the Jets, and the Jaguars looked like they would win consecutive games for the first time in 13 months. But Rodgers and Adams had other thoughts.

The duo has now connected 81 times for touchdowns, including the playoffs, for the fourth most by a QB-WR duo in NFL history. They are one shy of Miami’s Dan Marino and Mark Clayton.

“Aaron is a great quarterback. He’s a Hall of Fame quarterback,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. “They made plays that we didn’t make, and that part’s unfortunate. It comes down to just a couple plays in your season or your game or whatever could be a little bit different.”

Both teams got off to fast starts — a rarity this season.

The Jaguars scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time in 19 games. It had been the longest drought in the NFL. The Jets answered with their first opening-driving touchdown of the season. Rodgers connected with Garrett Wilson for a 22-yarder after the Jaguars left him wide open down the middle.

Thomas, Jacksonville's first-round draft pick, broke two single-season team rookie receiving records that he had been chasing for weeks. He topped Justin Blackmon’s franchise mark of 865 yards receiving (2012) and hauled in his seventh TD catch, snapping a tie with Allen Hurns (2014).

Jaguars defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter, a 30-year-old veteran and a 300-pound defender, celebrated his third-quarter sack of Rodgers with an impressive backflip. Ledbetter’s second sack of the season resulted in a 14-yard loss and forced the Jets to settle for a field goal.

Jets safety Jalen Mills (chest), safety Tony Adams (facial lacerations), linebacker Jamien Sherwood (evaluated for a concussion), running back Braelon Allen (back) and nickel cornerback Michael Carter (back) left the game. Adams, Sherwood and Allen returned.

Jets: host the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.

Jaguars: play at the Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) dives past Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) after a catch during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) catches a 1-yard touchdown pass in front of Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (30) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) runs past New York Jets safety Tony Adams (22) after a catch during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, left, gets away from Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco after a catch during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) is hit by Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell (3) after a sucessful two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) is tripped up by New York Jets defensive end Solomon Thomas (94) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) celebrates his touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) scores on a 1-yard touchdown run against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) scores against the Jacksonville Jaguars on a 1-yard run during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

A New York Jets fan reacts to a missed field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) scores ahead of Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) on a 71-yard touchdown reception during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) gets between Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) and linebacker Devin Lloyd (33) tomscore on a 71-yard touchdown reception during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)