Aaron Rodgers’ return to the New York Jets went exactly as fans wanted: healthy and dominant.

The Jets defeated their AFC East rival New England Patriots 24-3 to move to 2-1 on the season, while the Pats are now 1-2.

Rodgers may not have scored any points with the Jets’ offense on the first drive of the game, but fans will still consider this a win after what happened in Week 1 last year. He infamously tore his Achilles tendon on just the fourth snap of the game against the Buffalo Bills, ending his 2023 campaign before it could really begin.

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New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) attempts to complete a pass against the New England Patriots during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

But the four-time MVP looked spry on Thursday night, moving confidently around the pocket and, surprisingly, immediately taking off to pick up first downs.

He got hit, he sprinted, and the Jets fans probably held their breath every time he had to run outside the pocket, but Rodgers looked like his old self all night and the numbers proved it.

AARON RODGERS FINALLY REACHES MILESTONE FOR JETS IN FIRST METLIFE STADIUM GAME SINCE ACHILLES TEAR

Rodgers finished the game with 281 yards on 27-of-35 passing through the air, two touchdown passes, and no interceptions, his best night as a Jet to date.

He finally threw his first touchdown at MetLife Stadium as a Jet on the team’s second drive, marching down the field and finding his old Green Bay Packers teammate Allen Lazard for a screen that he completed for 10 yards to take the lead at 7-0.

They then forced the Jets to punt once more, covering 91 yards in 13 plays. Running back Breece Hall scored from the goal line for a decisive 14-0 lead.

Jacoby Brissett and the Patriots’ offense finally got something to do on their third drive, converting a 44-yard field goal from veteran kicker Joey Slye. But those were the only points this group could muster all game, as the vintage Jets defense we’ve seen the last few seasons swarmed the field.

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (83) signals for the first down after a catch against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

The Jets knew they hadn’t beaten the Patriots at home since 2015, when Ryan Fitzpatrick was the quarterback. They wanted to crush their rival, and Rodgers knew exactly how to do it on their first drive of the second half.

Rodgers was again mobile outside the pocket, extending plays and killing clock while finding open receivers for first downs and driving all the way down the field for first-and-goal looks from the two-yard line.

Instead of another Hall run over the gut for the score, Rodgers rolled to his right and tipped a pass to Garrett Wilson for the nice completion and touchdown to make it 21-3. It was the first of what Jets fans hope will be many Rodgers-to-Wilson touchdowns at MetLife.

Wilson might have been Rodgers’ top target on paper, but it was veteran tight end Tyler Conklin, who had not played in his previous two games for New York, who led the receiving game on Thursday night.

Conklin finished the game with a team-high five catches and 93 yards, helping to spark consistent touchdown drives.

In terms of the run game, the Jets really appear to have a two-headed monster at the moment in Hall and rookie Braelon Allen, who last week became the youngest player in the Super Bowl era to score a touchdown.

The Jets defense managed to collect six sacks that night, and it was Will McDonald IV, the team’s first-round pick last year, who had two of them that night, his fifth of the season after only having three last year.

The Patriots sent No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye into the game late in the fourth quarter after Brissett threw for just 98 yards on 12 of 18 passing. He went 4 of 8 through the air for 22 yards in the first regular season game of his young career.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) spins the ball on his finger during warmups for a game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

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To look at the Jets’ dominance from a team perspective, they limited the Patriots’ offense to just 139 total yards, while Rodgers and the offense managed to rack up a whopping 400.

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