The Patriots path to the division(and the playoffs), may have just gotten easier. 

Aaron Rodgers is reportedly feared to have suffered an Achilles injury, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. 

After being sacked, Rodgers initially got up but then fell back down, leaving the stadium in silence as fans feared the worst. He was taken to the blue tent, where he remained for some time before being carted off the field and brought into the locker room. X-rays on Rodgers' injury were negative for a fracture, but it appears that the worst-case scenario is true—an Achilles injury. Rodgers is scheduled for an MRI tomorrow morning to assess the extent of the damage, as reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Rodgers was traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets in April. His exit from Green Bay, where he spent 18 seasons, was the storyline that dominated the offseason. The Jets sent a 2023 first-round pick (No. 15) and a 2023 fifth-round pick (No. 170) to the Packers for New York's 2023 first-round pick (No. 13), a 2023 second-round pick (No. 42), a 2023 sixth-round pick (No. 207), and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first if Rodgers plays 65% of the plays this season.

Rodgers would go on to sign a reworked contract that provided the team with some salary cap relief. He signed a two-year deal worth $75,000,000 guaranteed, which runs through 2024. There was some speculation from others (and himself) on whether or not he would play football this season after rumors of his potential retirement. Rodgers faces an uphill battle just under three months from his 40th birthday.

Zach Wilson took over for the Jets on Monday Night Football and is in a position to be the starting QB for however long Rodgers is out. The Patriots, who has historically made Wilson struggled, will face the New York Jets in just under two weeks. 

Featured image via Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK