The pivotal moment for Allen Lazard, in the eyes of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, materialized before any of his six catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns Monday.
Instead, it unfolded on the third offensive snap of the Jets’ eventual loss, when Lazard sprinted 5 yards upfield, pivoted to snap left out in his route and slipped.
It was a scene that could’ve played out on the Jets’ collection of 2023 lowlights.
Lazard dropped the ball.
He couldn’t complete a connection with a quarterback — though this time, it was old Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers under center.
And with Lazard’s disastrous 2023 campaign serving as the backdrop to anything that happens one year later, that early gaffe against the 49ers served as the “what’s gonna happen now?” moment, Hackett said.
Lazard caught six of the eight targets that followed from Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor, opening the second season of a four-year, $44 million contract with his best game as a Jet.
And when asked Thursday before practice what the biggest difference has been for 2024, dating back to Lazard’s strong training camp that featured a blend of receptions and “grimy” plays — in the words of Rodgers — Lazard kept his answer direct.
“Aaron Rodgers,” he said, and that was followed by, “Yep, it’s pretty simple,” after being asked if it was, indeed, that simple.
Throughout his first year with the Jets, Lazard needed to adapt as Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian all threw him the ball following Rodgers’ torn Achilles in Week 1.
He didn’t dwell on what happened — the alarming 23 catches; the alarming 311 yards; the alarming one touchdown; all of it — once the campaign ended and instead became one of the Jets’ most consistent wide receivers in training camp.
That happened after Gang Green signed Mike Williams, who has continued to work back from a torn ACL and logged just nine snaps in the opener, to compete for reps as the No. 2 wideout, too.
On Aug. 20, Rodgers complimented Lazard for the grimy plays, the ones that helped him carve out a role with the Packers and establish himself as someone the Jets should pursue in free agency.
It just took time — much longer than anticipated — for all of that to merge in a game.
“I’m going into every game, whether it be this year, last year or previous years … just doing whatever I can to help the team win,” Lazard said Thursday. “So if it means blocking, if it means catching touchdowns, if it means running out the safety to open it up, I’m all about it.”
His first touchdown Monday occurred during a free play when he noticed the offsides flag, thought about a touchdown and instantly thrust his hand into the air.
Just over two quarters removed from a drop that prevented the Jets from extending their first drive, he capped their latest with a 36-yard reception.
The night ended as the latest sign that the summer of Lazard might just stretch into autumn after all.