Over the last three seasons, the New York Jets have rarely seen second-overall pick Zach Wilson play as well as he did Sunday night.
Against the defending Super Bowl champions, and the reigning league MVP, Wilson put forth his best overall game of his career. He went 28-39 passing for 245 yards and two scores. His tempo, timing, and footwork were aligned and it kept the Jets in a ballgame they once trailed 17-0.
It was the type of game that could give New York hope they could save their season even despite their 1-3 record.
“He understood what we were trying to accomplish within that game, the different plays that we had, the ways that we were trying to attack them, and he was unbelievably efficient. Whether it was throwing the ball down the field, making plays,” Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said of Wilson’s play. “He had one great check that ended being an explosive play. That’s very exciting for us to see that he was able to take advantage of it. So, you see him grow every game. I think that is what you are looking for, is just continuing to get better.”
Wilson’s play on the field is one reason for New York’s confidence in him as of late. It’s what he’s done off the field though that can show the fanbase that they have the right man leading the locker room…at least until Aaron Rodgers comes back.
After the Chiefs were able to make the winning plays necessary to beat the Jets by a 23-20 final, Wilson reportedly spoke in the locker room and apologized to the team for being the reason the team closed on Sunday Night. That personal responsibility was appreciated by the rest of the locker room and showed further maturity and growth from the young signal-caller.
Putting it all together is the next step for Wilson and the Jets offense as a whole. Luckily, as the team prepares for a contest against the Denver Broncos, they have a quarterback as confident as he’s ever been.
“I think the growth is one of the most exciting things in football. It is feeling improvement as an offense, individually, all the guys around. Yes, there were good things, but how can I take the things that would have helped us be even better?” Wilson explained. “I do think there is excitement to say I can’t wait to try those again next week and try and fix those things to reapply those things for the next game.”
As good as Wilson and the offense were, there are still places where the team can improve overall. Putting up only 20 points of offense, while better than weeks past, won’t be enough in the modern NFL.
A big way to change that though, at least in Wilson’s eyes is to start faster than before. New York hasn’t led in a game since a game-winning touchdown to open the 2023 season against the Buffalo Bills. Starting fast won’t just help get the offense in gear, but it should also help them be in favorable packages for the remainder of the game.
“I got to play better from the beginning of the game and get those guys going and I think I had a chance on the first third down of the game to hit Garrett (Wilson), I think we had a third and one situation, it needs to start right there, how can I make that so that we can continue that drive and keep going down the field,” Wilson stated.
It’s almost as if a new Zach Wilson has taken over the young BYU product. After seemingly turning a corner on gameday against the Chiefs, there’s just one thing that Wilson has left to prove. He’s shown he can win with his arm, he’s shown he can use his legs to make plays, and he’s shown that his leadership is far improved.
No, the one thing he has left to show is if he can consistently produce every week. That’s what the Jets hope to see from their quarterback Sunday afternoon when they take on the Broncos.
“For him, it’s just now let’s go stack it up. Just carry that confidence over and trust your teammates because a lot of the stuff he did on Sunday night was trusting his teammates with those back shoulder throws and being aggressive with his ball placement. I thought his teammates did a great job making plays too,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said. “For him, obviously I would imagine, empathetically speaking for myself, affirmations are great, but now the key is to carry it over and do it again.”
New York may be 1-3 on the year, but the season is not over. If they get the type of play Wilson showed last week for the remainder of the year, a turnaround is not just a pipedream but a legitimate expectation for a talented group.
For the first time in his career, Wilson has given the Jets and their fans reason for hope and optimism. Now, as Saleh said, it’s about winning games and stacking up strong performances to set the team up for future success.
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