Shannon Sharpe and Dan Orlovsky didn’t see eye-to-eye when it came to placing blame for the Jets’ struggles following two straight losses to the Broncos and Vikings, respectively.
During Monday’s installment of “First Take” on ESPN, the NFL analysts sparred over Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers after he threw three interceptions, including a pick-six, in Gang Green’s 23-17 loss to Minnesota at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday.
Sharpe went off on Orlovsky, who he said won’t criticize Rodgers — despite being critical of the Jets quarterbacks who came before him — because he wants to stay in “good graces” with Rodgers.
“Why are they losing D.O.? Because you keep saying ‘the inept’ offense,” Sharpe said. “Talk about the quarterback play! [Rodgers had] three interceptions again [against the Vikings], a 53 percent completion percentage last week [and] 57 [percent completion] this week.
“Now, I’m not going to let you blame another offense because you didn’t blame the offense when they had those other quarterbacks,” Sharpe said after naming former Jets quarterbacks, Joe Flacco, Mike White, Sam Darnold and most recently Zach Wilson.
“You blamed the quarterback. But you wanted to stay in good graces and you won’t call Aaron Rodgers out! He’s playing awful! — You know it, everbody in New York knows it and everbody around he NFL knows it.
“He’s playing terrible. Call it like you see it!”
Orlovsky denied he’s ever blamed previous quarterbacks for the Jets’ issues.
“Hold on! Shannon. One, He said it himself. I don’t need to go on national television and tell people that Aaron Rodgers played poorly,” Orlovsky said. “There is a way that you have to play Minnesota.
“First of all, I never blamed the quarterbacks in New York. I always blamed the situation. I’m the guy who tries to put context to on performances. I’m not telling anybody that Aaron has played well the past two weeks, by no means. He even said it himself, ‘not up to his standards.’
“But Shannon, you know this. There is a way that you have to play as an offense to help your guys play well against certain defenses.”
Orlovsky went on to explain that being an NFL analyst, who previously played backup quarterback in the NFL, doesn’t give him the right to say Rodgers “stinks” at the position.
“… I’m not telling anybody Aaron’s playing well, but it’s also not my job to go on national television and talk about a Hall of Fame quarterback when I was a quarterback and say that he stinks. Yes, he’s a part of the situation.
“You’re a Hall of Famer. You can do that!” Orlovsky said repeatedly.
Stephen A. Smith, who was surprisingly quiet, was made faces while listening to the back-and-forth.
“Stephen A. I need you to give D.O — let him see his job description,” Sharpe said. “That is his job, to create, Hall of Fame, non Hall of Fame, it does not matter.
Ovlosky disagreed and said, “My job is to put context on ‘why’!”
Rodgers, who is coming off an Achilles injury, finished 29 of 54 for 244 yards and two touchdowns.
He was picked off three times, including one on New York’s final play of the game.
The Jets nearly made a comeback in the fourth quarter, but struggled to run the ball against the Vikings.
They fell to 2-3 with the loss.
The Jets host the Bills (3-2) on “Monday Night Football” in Week 6.