Aaron Rodgers said he's aiming to return to the New York Jets by mid-December, but there likely won’t be a season for him to save by that point after a brutal 16-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

Rodgers dropped that bomb in an interview with NBC during the game, one the Jets led 9-3 in the first half but still found a way to lose, dropping their record to 4-5 on the season.

With the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins on the schedule the next two weeks respectively, there's a good chance the Jets playoff hopes will be out of reach by Thanksgiving weekend. And if there’s little to no hope of making the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons, you can bet there's no chance of Rodgers attempting a miracle return from September surgery on a ruptured Achilles.

But make no mistake, the Jets need a miracle right about now to save their season. And if believing in a Rodgers comeback next month keeps them motivated, then the future Hall of Famer needs to keep delivering his hopeful message.

That said, let's examine four other things we learned in the Jets’ 16-12 loss to the Raiders in Week 10.

Zach Wilson wasn’t so bad, but late interception doomed Jets

All in all, Zach Wilson played pretty well Sunday, though, yet again, he failed to get the Jets into the end zone. That is now 11 quarters and 36 straight possessions without a touchdown for the New York offense.

Then with the Jets driving for the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Wilson was picked off deep in Raiders territory when Robert Spillane read the quarterback staring down his target, Allen Lazard.

Wilson finished 23-for-39 for 263 yards in the air and rushed four times for 54 yards, including a pair of 20-yard scrambles. In fact, it appeared Wilson scrambled for a TD early in the second quarter, diving to the pylon, but he stepped out at the four-yard line. More on what happened next below.

The 24-year-old did make some big-time plays. He and Garrett Wilson (nine catches for 93 yards) connected on a 41-yard pass in the first quarter, and there were the positive scrambles. And Wilson nearly saved the day dancing around Maxx Crosby to toss a 50-yard bomb into the end zone on the final play that Garrett Wilson nearly caught.

But it wasn’t good enough. And Wilson was not helped out by his teammates on offense either.

Self-inflicted wounds crush Jets again

The Jets scored on each of their first three possessions. Of course, each was courtesy of Greg Zuerlein's leg. Because, yet again, penalties and mistakes short-circuited potential touchdown drives.

That scramble by Wilson that gave the Jets a first-and goal at the four? Breece Hall smashed it up the middle for a TD burst afterward. But C.J. Uzomah was whistled for holding and the Jets settled for a field goal. On the previous drive, Uzomah also had a killer holding penalty.

“Just dumb, dumb stuff,” coach Robert Saleh said postgame.

On their first drive, deep in Raiders territory, Wilson was called for intentional grounding trying to avoid a sack on first down. Two plays later, Xavier Gipson dropped a third-down pass. You guessed it, field goal again.

There were plenty of other examples. But you get the idea.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Same mistakes. Different week.

Even after Joe Namath implored the Jets to stop doing “stupid things.”

Special teams not so special for Jets

Excluding Greg Zuerlein – who’s made 22 of 23 field goals this season after a 4-for-4 night against the Raiders – and punter Thomas Morstead (55.2 yard average on five punts), the special teams were not so special for the Jets. Again.

The Jets allowed a 32-yard punt return by DeAndre Carter in the third quarter. That set the Raiders up in Jets territory. They kicked the game-tying field goal on the short drive.

Gipson later fielded the ensuing kickoff a couple yards into his own end zone and returned it only to the 14-yard line. Wilson was sacked, the Jets went three and out, and the Raiders got the ball near the 50-yard line. What followed was the only touchdown drive of the night.

Ballgame over.

Jets display ‘championship defense’ in loss to Raiders

A quick final note to say that Saleh is right, the Jets have a “championship defense.” That was on display once again Sunday. And except for a 40-yard run by Josh Jacobs on Vegas’ TD drive, the Jets defense was elite in defeat.

Quinnen Williams was a force of nature in the middle of the line. C.J. Mosley was all over the field, making 14 tackles. Jordan Whitehead had a pick. Ashtyn Davis had fumble recovery. Jermaine Johnson had another sack.

But, again, the Jets defense couldn’t drag their offense to victory.