As the New England Patriots locked things down on defense, New York Jets fans rained boos all over their quarterback as they watched another dud of a game from Zach Wilson.
The Patriots walked off with a 15-10 win Sunday having made Wilson look a fool behind center once again. But don’t expect to see things change any time soon in New York. After the game, Jets coach Robert Saleh said that he plans to keep Wilson as the team’s starting quarterback.
“Yeah, he’s fine. It’s not a question,” Saleh said if there was any thought of changing quarterbacks.
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That was far from the only question Saleh got about his commitment to Wilson.
When asked if the team had any plans to give first-team reps in practice to backup QB Tim Boyle, Saleh responded, “No.”
When asked if it was fair to the rest of the team to stick with Wilson, he responded, “Yeah.”
Why is the coach so definitive in his endorsement of Wilson as the starting quarterback? Saleh doubled down in his commitment in answering that question.
“Right now Zach is the best player — he’s who gives us the best chance to win,” Saleh said. “Basically, that’s the cleanest answer I can give.”
The Jets are currently in a quarterback quagmire after Aaron Rodgers’ injury four plays into his tenure in New York. Wilson, the No. 2 pick of the 2021 Draft, was benched last season after a disappointing season. He now appears to be the No. 1 option in New York for the foreseeable future.
Wilson’s game in the rain left much to be desired as his decision-making led to drives stalling and fans booing. The third-year quarterback finished 18-of-36 passing for 157 yards, averaging just 4.4 yards per attempt. Wilson didn’t turn the ball over, but was sacked for a safety late in the game.
The numbers are looking bad for Wilson. Yet the Jets are still high on him. What has the quarterback shown them?
“His pocket presence has been so much more improved. His accuracy is much improved. His decision- making is much improved,” Saleh said. “New England’s got a hell of a defense over there. Obviously, it just wasn’t good enough today.”
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The wave of optimism that had been washing over the Jets this offseason has since receded and dried up with Wilson at quarterback. For fans at the game, it sounds like there was a lot of doom and gloom surrounding the offense.
So will the Patriots see Wilson again this season? At this rate, it will be tough. These teams don’t meet again until Week 18 in Foxborough. For Wilson to still be the starter by then, either he’s turned things around or the Jets are beyond loyal to him as the quarterback.
