Did Zach Wilson Prove His Chiefs Performance Wasn't A Fluke This Week?
All eyes were on Zach Wilson this Broncos game to see if the Chiefs game was just a fluke or if this guy could end up actually consistently playing like he did when he was the first quarterback to outplay Mahomes.
Wilson was under serious pressure from the Denver pass rush, which has been said to be the worst defense in the NFL, he was sacked on the very first play of the game, which coupled with penalties resulted in a first-half that resulted in 2 punts and 2 field goals. It was only till the final drive of the half you could see the Jets' offense was truly clicking until Zach made a rookie mistake... In his 3rd year
These major mental mistakes are something everybody is hoping will disappear with experience, but this play would get a lot more criticism if it came in a loss. The thing is, there were a lot of points left on the board in this game. If it wasn't for the defense this game would be a hell of a lot closer. But Zach was making next level throws during the game.
The drives may have not resulted in as many touchdowns as many would have wanted but Wilson brought up the quality of the passing game in ways we have only seen the past two weeks.
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This may not seem like a big deal due to the lack of touchdown passes but holding the defense accountable to the passing game causes plays like this to occur.
8 guys in the box but covering swing routes and hesitation for the pass makes blocking for the run so much easier resulting in a Breece Hall touchdown. Breece Hall is a beast beyond measure and him getting unlimited touches now is a huge game-changer.
We then see Zach Wilson on the most important play of the game making a check at the line of scrimmage that results in a huge gain that almost seals the win.
But then throws a back shoulder that is just off the mark and results in a ridiculously lucky interception.
Yes, the Jets defense once again had to bail Wilson out. But the facts are that Zach Wilson played well enough to put up 22 points. With the luck of the draw some of those field goals could have been touchdowns but the ball rolled how it did.
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Hackett outcoaches Sean Payton for the comments he made before the season and Zach Wilson was able to walk off the field feeling good about himself.
The biggest thing is look at how hyped Wilson is after a decent stat line and a win.
Vs 2 touchdowns, the best game of his career and a loss.
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The difference shows how mature he has. He is a team guy and wants to lead this team to more wins not just individual success in the future. The Eagles next week conclude a gauntlet of the first 6 games for the Jets. After that hopefully, we can see the Jets run the table and get in better playoff contention. The rest of the season is perfect to see Wilson continually succeed and gain confidence and trust in the fanbase in the coming weeks. His ceiling has been raised.