Jerry Jones reacts to Aaron Rodgers' injury, looks ahead to Jets game

The Cowboys-Jets game had so much hype. It will be Dallas’ home opener. And it was supposed to include Aaron Rodgers playing at AT&T Stadium.

But Rodgers is out for the season thanks to a torn Achilles. He suffered the injury on the fourth Jets snap of the season. An MRI confirmed what coach Robert Saleh announced in post game. It was a complete tear, with a nine-month recovery after surgery.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, during his weekly appearance Tuesday on Dallas radio station 105.3, said he felt “sick for everybody.”

Yes, a wounded Jets team heads to Arlington for Sunday’s game. But Jones also noted that the team knocked off the Bills, 22-16, in overtime. Their flashy new quarterback wasn’t under center, but the defense forced four turnovers and special teams provided the winning punt return from Xavier Gipson.

“That shows the type of team they got,” Jones said in the interview. “And they’re loaded across the board. This will be a tough game one way or the other.”

Oddsmakers already established the Cowboys as a favorite. But after the Rodgers injury, the line moved from 7.5 to 8.5 points. Zach Wilson should start for the Jets. After all, he is their former starter and the No. 2 pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. Plus, New York already was playing on a short week. Even if the Jets sign a potential starting quarterback, there’s no time to prepare for the Cowboys and their big-time pass rush. The only two quarterbacks the Jets had on their active roster Monday night were Rodgers and Wilson. Receiver Randall Cobb was their emergency QB. Tim Boyle, a one-time backup to Rodgers, is the third quarterback. But he’s on the practice squad.

The Jets probably will sign another quarterback, whether the team wants him as a potential starter or for depth reasons. Jones said he’d received no inquiries in regards to Trey Lance or Cooper Rush. The Cowboys traded for Lance, who was the No. 3 player selected in the 2021 draft, from the 49ers right before the end of training camp.

“I can’t imagine what it would be (to make that type of trade),” Jones said. “But the facts are, just as they do, we could need (Cooper) Rush (for) a play. And we did last year. We did the year before. Boy, especially when you got all the promise we got, to compromise yourself with the depth at that position would be very unlikely.”

The Cowboys do know what it’s like to lose a starting QB. Dak Prescott missed 16 total games in 2020 and 2022.

Conversely, any quarterback the Jets field will have to deal with a ferocious Cowboys pass rush. Aaron Rodgers probably watched it Sunday night when Dallas opened the season with a 40-0 victory over the Giants. Wilson, no doubt, will study the film. The Cowboys sacked Daniel Jones seven times. Without Aaron Rodgers, the Jets offense often retreated into a one-back, three tight-end formation and relied on Breece Hall.