Getty New York Jets cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner warms up ahead of Week 6.
You can go ahead and pinch yourselves now — the New York Jets are 4-2 after knocking off Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Not only that, but if the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Buffalo Bills during the 4 p.m. window, the Jets will take possession of first place in the AFC East via tiebreak. New York football is back and Gang Green’s rookie class once again led them to victory in Week 6.
Running back Breece Hall may steal headlines after another strong effort — 20 carries for 116 yards and one touchdown, plus five yards receiving — but it should not be understated how clean of a game cornerback Sauce Gardner had against the Packers.
Sauce Gardner has serious coverage skills.
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The No. 4 overall pick is off to a tremendous start to his NFL career and not only is his game elite for a rookie, but his trash talk is too.
Jets’ Sauce Gardner Trolls Packers in Viral Celebration
After the upset win on the road — which raises the Jets away record to 3-0 on the season — Gardner trolled the Green Bay fanbase with an epic postgame celebration that quickly went viral on Twitter.
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero shared the video from down on the field, voicing: “Jets CB Sauce Gardner wearing a cheesehead as he leaves the field, until a Packers player (looked like Allen Lazard) knocked it off his head. Big win for the Baby Jets at Lambeau Field.”
Gardner did credit the fans with the cheesehead look during a locker room interview. “They put it on my head, the Jets fans. So I just had to take it and run with it,” he told reporters.
Whoever’s idea it was, it was a great one, and more outlets picked up the video. Barstool Sports even added that “Sauce Gardner is the majority owner of the Packers now” after tweeting out a different clip of the rookie phenom.
Sauce Gardner is the majority owner of the Packers now
It was later confirmed that Lazard did swat the cheesehead hat off Gardner’s head as the two headed into the tunnel. Pelissero questioned the Packers wide receiver on the brief controversy after the game.
The reporter relayed: “Asked about this in the locker room, Allen Lazard was good-natured about it, said Sauce played a good game. ‘It’s a cool name too. Sauce. I can’t even be mad.'”
Lazard’s actions in the heat of the moment say otherwise, and Gardner may quickly be painting a target on his back with his reputation for talking smack. Having said that, you could argue that the rookie doesn’t care.
If you continue to lock down veteran receiver after veteran receiver in year one, you can celebrate however you want. Jets Twitter described the current mood of the NYJ organization best: “Say cheese.”
Say cheese.
Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Miami, Green Bay. Which NFL fanbase will this young Jets franchise catch by surprise next? — Gardner and the rest of this youth movement are ready to keep cashing receipts.
Wild Statistics After Jets-Packers Result
ESPN’s Rich Cimini is one of the best when it comes to Jets history and statistics and he dropped a few “unbelievable” notes after the win.
“This would be the first time under Robert Saleh that the Jets have 0 turnovers in back-to-back games (1st time since Weeks 15-16 of 2020),” Cimini began, continuing: “The Jets are the first team since the 2012 Vikings (vs Cardinals) to win a game despite having 1 or fewer 3rd-down conversions and fewer than 100 net passing yards. Unbelievable.”
It definitely wasn’t a banner performance from Zach Wilson and the passing attack but they didn’t turn the ball over, as stated above, and that was important during a grind of a game like this one. A punt block touchdown was really the turning point for the Jets as the defense put together a stifling effort in Green Bay.
Just crazy:
#Jets are second team in the Super Bowl era to have a winning record through six games despite being an underdog in all six of those games (2001 Cleveland).
Two more wild stats from Cimini: “This is the first time since 2010 that the Jets have started 3-0 on the road. That is the last time the Jets made the playoffs… Jets are [the] second team in the Super Bowl era to have a winning record through six games despite being an underdog in all six of those games (2001 Cleveland).”
Translation: Take this Jets team lightly at your own peril. The Green & White are headed to Denver next week to take on Russell Wilson and the Broncos.