Zach Wilson has been the subject of plenty of scrutiny in his young NFL career, and especially so following his performance yesterday. The second-year Jets quarterback played a large role in the team’s loss to the Patriots in Week 8, but his starting role is safe going forward. 
Head coach Robert Saleh confirmed when speaking to the media on Monday that the team did not at any point contemplate benching the 2021 second overall pick during the loss (Twitter link via Connor Hughes of SNY.tv). Wilson completed less than half of passes (20 of 41) and threw three interceptions, leaving plenty of blame squarely on his shoulders for the team’s four-game winning streak coming to an end.
Overall, the 23-year-old has not been seen as the catalyst of the Jets’ offense, one which ranks mid-pack in most major categories. In other words, the second-year jump many had expected him to take (along the development curve of most young signal-callers) has yet to take place. That carries added significance in the wake of recent developments affecting the team’s offense.
The season-ending injuries suffered by running back Breece Hall and offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker have put a major dent in New York’s ground game. As a result, a larger burden of the unit’s success will now rest on Wilson’s development as a passer. How large of a step forward he takes will be a major storyline for the remainder of the season.
Regardless of the progress (or lack thereof) the team sees in the BYU alum, though, a QB change will not be forthcoming, Saleh insisted. The one exception to that commitment, of course, would be an injury, something Wilson already has a history with. He missed four games as a rookie, then the first three contests of the 2022 campaign due to a preseason knee injury which required arthroscopic surgery. Veteran Joe Flacco would be next in line to fill in for Wilson in the event he were to miss further time.
At 5-3, the Jets’ season could still very well end in a playoff berth. Even if the team falls short of that feat, though, valuable evaluation of their franchise QB will take place throughout the second half of the campaign.
Fun fact: Zach Wilson had 1 TD pass during his 4 game winning streak in 2022. People are just out here waiting to pounce. Obviously Zach Wilson needs to play better but he’s literally played 18 career games. No one was complaining this much about his play when we won 4 straight.
And if not for a Bull shhh roughing the passer call on the pick 6, we go into the half up 17-3 and likely win that game easily.
That wasn’t a BS call. I was just as upset as anyone, but he clearly laid out Mac after the ball was clearly released. It was a stupid play by Franklin Myers and completely changed the momentum of the entire game. It was a 10 point swing, over one bonehead play.
1) Watch the play again. It’s less than a second after the ball is released. That’s not the spirit of the rule.
link to twitter.com
2) This is Zach Wilson getting injured last season by the Patriots. Roughing the passer was not called.
link to twitter.com
3) Boston knew the Pats got bailed out by the call:
link to twitter.com
4) This was called roughing the passer:
link to twitter.com
5) This was not called roughing.
link to twitter.com
I saw the play 3 times during the tv broadcast. It’s one thing if he tried to pull up or made a last second attempt to avoid contact, but his momentum was just too strong and he bumped Mac.
That’s not what happened. The ball was literally out of his hands and then Franklin-Myers rammed him into the ground. Yeah, 10-15 years ago this isn’t called. But the NFL is specifically trying to avoid big hits to vulnerable players. Unnecessary hits, which is exactly what that was. I don’t need bullet points and twitter links to get your argument. I just think you’re wrong. No one during the broadcast thought it was a bad call. I’m a Jet fan. I’m mad at the player on that one, not the refs.
Unless you think there’s a short term benefit to playing Flacco or whoever that’s significant enough to make them a serious contender (there’s not) or that any of their other QBs is an answer going forward (they aren’t), there’s no reason to bench Wilson. You can’t really take a sit and learn approach. You need to try to develop and evaluate him. If he doesn’t show real growth this season, you have to at a minimum bring in viable competition next year, if not full blown changing plan. There is nothing new to learn from playing Flacco and this team isn’t going to make a playoff run by getting 25th best QB play instead of 30th or whatever.
Agreed. He’s already “sat and learned” twice due to injury. I can’t believe this is the conversation
The thought of him losing his job is insane. They put all their eggs in his basket and need to see it through – good or bad. It sounds like Darnold all over again. He’s lost key offensive line players and his starting RB with a WR who wants to be traded. Not exactly ideal for him. Wasn’t a fan of the pick, but a little patience needs to be applied. Even in NY.
Thank you for being so sensible! He played okay in the first half until the interception.
He’s horrible. But young and they have to try and develop him. No choice.
For some reason certain organizations have no clue how to develop QB prospects. The Jets fall into that category but so do my Bears. I don’t assume to know how to fix that problem but at some point you have to stop blaming the students and shift your focus to the teachers.
How can you say that when every 5 years there’s a 100% turnover in management?
A turnover in management is only going to be a cosmetic change if the ownership is entrenched in an archaic mindset. This is why the Cardinals never won anything meaningful with Bidwell Sr as owner and why the Lions will continue to be dismal as long as the Fords are in charge.
The barely-breathing NYC tabloids making a crisis out of a loss to the team that’s bottom of the AFC East.
Joe Flacco was a healthy scratch vs. New England and could be traded by the deadline if another team needs a veteran QB. Chris Streveler, who impressed with the Jets in preseason, was up from the practice squad yesterday but he too was a healthy scratch. That tells me the Jets will ride or die with Wilson.
They should have taken Fields instead. Fields has a garbage team around him and he’s keeping the Bears in every game.
Or Davis mills…
When Wilson had time to throw he looked great. He spent a lot of time running for his life and his throws weren’t as crisp, hence the 3 INTs which he should have whizzed out of bounds. He has so much talent, and Jets should and will give him more time to put it together.