Jets' Rodgers insists there's no rift with Saleh and responds to rumors of potential Adams reunion

WARE, England (AP) — Aaron Rodgers talked some football but mostly relationships — those with coach Robert Saleh and former teammate Davante Adams, in particular — after the New York Jets landed in London on Friday.

The four-time NFL MVP even tossed in some local lingo, saying “knackered” and “gobsmacked” during his 11-minute session with reporters ahead of Sunday’s game against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Rodgers denied he and Saleh have any sort of rift, saying “there’s some driving force” outside the Jets' facility trying to “put a wedge between Robert and I.”

Pre-snap penalties in a 10-9 loss to Denver last week led Saleh to question “whether or not we’re good enough or ready to handle all the cadence ″ that Rodgers uses to confuse defenses. Saleh later clarified he meant the entire operation of the offense, not specifically Rodgers' cadence. He said the Jets are “always going to push the envelope” with cadence because of Rodgers' success with it.

“Cadence has been a weapon," Rodgers said at the team's hotel north of London. "I think he kind of went in and got a chance Monday to kind of respond to all of that.”

The 40-year-old quarterback also made it clear he and Saleh are not at odds.

“We’re really good friends," he said. "We enjoy each other. We spend time almost every day, I’m in his office talking about things, talking about the energy of the team, the focus of the team, what we need to get done, how I can help him out, how he can help me out.

"So we’ve got a great relationship.”

Another hot topic this week has been the status of the frustrated Adams, who could be available in a trade after reportedly requesting the Las Vegas Raiders to deal him. The Jets have been mentioned as a potential destination because of the relationship between Adams and Rodgers, who were teammates in Green Bay for eight seasons.

Rodgers prefaced his comments on Adams by saying he wasn't sure how much he could say because of the NFL's tampering rules. But he clearly indicated his preference when it comes to a potential reunion.

“I still have a close friendship with him," Rodgers said. “We spend a lot of time in the offseason together. He’s a great guy and a great player. The rest of that is out of my hands.”

When asked about how a player might benefit from a change of scenery, Rodgers responded: “The grass is green where you water it. ... You can make a special situation out of being anywhere.”

Rodgers, who was sacked five times and hit 14 times by the Broncos, said he feels “a little banged up” but overall “pretty good” and was off the team's injury report Friday.

He received treatment this week on a sore left knee, but was a full participant at practice Thursday at the team's facility in Florham Park, New Jersey, and again Friday after being listed as limited Wednesday when he didn't join his teammates during stretching.

Rodgers might be 40, but he's embracing the NFL's aggressive international push. Brazil hosted its first NFL game this season. Spain gets its first in 2025.

“Spain would be fun,” Rodgers said when asked about where else he'd like to play. He didn't stop there, though: “Mexico, France, Italy."

“We know the reach that we have," Rodgers said of the league. "It's great to be over here, be a part of it. Love that we’re branching out, love how we can grow the game.”

Two years ago in London, Rodgers and the Packers lost 27-22 to the New York Giants.

“I definitely want to win in London, for sure,” he said.

The Jets will skip the long commute to their Saturday walkthrough this time around.

Several people fell asleep on the team's hour-plus ride to the stadium in 2021 when they discovered London traffic is as bad as the bridge and tunnel scenes in New York. The Jets went on to lose 27-20 to the Atlanta Falcons after having fell behind 17-0 by early in the second quarter.

“We’re not doing that commute," Saleh said. “The science says don’t nap, and that was a recipe for napping.”

The coach says at 2-2 the Jets are “in the thick of it” and at a turning point: “This is the part of the season where teams start figuring out exactly who they are. You’re either climbing up the hill or staying at the bottom.”

The Jets haven't won a lot — but that's still the goal for a team that has missed the postseason the last 13 years.

“You’ve got to win — it’s New York,” Saleh said. "The expectation is to win. When you win, you’re going to the Super Bowl. When you lose, fire everybody. That’s the world we live in, that’s the world we embrace.

“We’re made for it, we’re built for it.”

LB C.J. Mosley (toe) and DL Leki Fotu (hamstring) were listed as doubtful for the game after being limited at practice this week. ... RT Morgan Moses (knee) was previously ruled out.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) participates in a training session in Ware, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, ahead of the game between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

New York Jets center Joe Tippmann (66) and teammates participate in a training session in Ware, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, ahead of the game between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

The New York Jets participate in a training session in Ware, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, ahead of the game between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) participates in a training session in Ware, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, ahead of the game between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) participates in a training session in Ware, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, ahead of the game between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) participates in a training session in Ware, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, ahead of the game between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) participates in a training session in Ware, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, ahead of the game between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) speaks during a press conference in Ware, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, ahead of the game between New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — New Zealand dismissed India for 102 to surprisingly win by 58 runs in the Women's T20 World Cup on Friday.

Also, South Africa pasted the West Indies by 10 wickets.

New Zealand posted a challenging 160-4 and then rolled India in 19 overs for its only second win in 14 T20s this year.

Captain Sophie Devine's unbeaten 57 off 36 balls with seven boundaries propelled New Zealand’s total in the last five overs.

A run-out dispute stopped play briefly when India thought it caught Amelia Kerr well short of her crease at the striker’s end in the 14th over before the umpires ruled a dead ball. Kerr had walked to almost the rope boundary before the ruling by the fourth umpire.

Devine's strong finish followed a strong foundation of 67 off 46 balls by openers Georgia Plimmer (34) and Suzie Bates (27).

Plimmer and Bates perished while looking for big hits, but India's hope of a comeback was stymied by Devine raising her fourth T20 half-century off 33 balls. New Zealand racked up 51 off the last five overs.

Rosemary Mair trapped India captain Harmanpreet Kaur inside the power play in a scene-stealing 4-19. Mair claimed the last two wickets off successive balls, and fast bowler Lea Tahuhu chipped in with 3-15 to help bundle out India with an over to spare.

Eden Carsen struck off her first delivery with a caught-and-bowled of Shafali Verma, and in her next over dismissed Smriti Mandhana on 12. India couldn’t recover after the dismissal of its senior pros inside the power play.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt (59 not out) and Tazmin Brits (57 not out) made light work of South Africa's chase, reaching 119 without loss with 13 balls to spare.

Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba grabbed a career-best 4-29 as the West Indies was restricted to 118-6.

West Indies tried eight bowlers to try and prise out Wolvaardt and Brits, who struck 13 boundaries between them.

Spinner Karishma Ramharack came closest to the breakthrough but couldn’t hold on to a sharp return catch when Wolvaardt was on 33.

Earlier, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews feathered an easy catch behind on 10 while going for a drive against Marizanne Kapp in the third over.

Veteran Deandra Dottin lasted for 11 deliveries and scored 13 in her comeback game after two years out before she was caught by Wolvaardt at extra cover while trying to clear the circle against Kapp’s full-pitched delivery.

Mlaba squeezed the West Indies middle order and was on a hat trick after dismissing Shemaine Campbelle and Chinelle Henry to reduce them to 83-6 in 15 overs.

Stafanie Taylor (44 not out) and Zaida James (15) added 35 runs off the final 29 balls but their total never looked enough.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

New Zealand's Suzie Bates bats during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

New Zealand's Suzie Bates bats during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

India's captain Harmanpreet Kaur, left, celebrates with her teammate Asha Sobhana celebrates after she took the wicket of New Zealand's Georgia Plimmer during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

India's Asha Sobhana, right, celebrates after taking the wicket of New Zealand's Georgia Plimmer, left, during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

India's wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, right, unsuccessfully tries to run out New Zealand's Amelia Kerr during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

New Zealand's Brooke Halliday bats during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

New Zealand's captain Sophie Devine celebrates her fifty runs during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

New Zealand team members congratulate Eden Carson, third from left, after she took the wicket of India's Smriti Mandhana during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

New Zealand's Lea Tahuhu bowls during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

New Zealand's Lea Tahuhu, second from right, celebrates the wicket of India's Jemimah Rodrigues with her teammates during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)