Zach Wilson made his long-awaited unwanted return to the New York Jets on Sunday, but it went about as well as anyone could expect.
Thrust into the lineup due to Mike White’s rib injury, Wilson had one of his most efficient games of the season — despite having a fourth loss in his last five starts come with the result. The 23-year-old signal-caller showed some flashes, finishing with 317 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns, but New York failed to reach the 20-point mark for the fifth-consecutive game with Wilson under center.
Seeing as he plays in New York, the bad far outweighed the good for those passing judgment on his start. The same can’t be said for Jets head coach Robert Saleh, however.
“The frustrating thing is that this kid is going to be a good quarterback, but the NFL and this new instant-coffee world that we’re in just doesn’t want to give people time,” Saleh said, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “So, we look at him and he’s just nitpicked with a fine-tooth comb.
“… I’m really pumped for him because, in his past, when he hit a speed bump in a game, he kind of derails. But I thought he did a really good job of getting back on the rails and swinging back up in the fourth quarter to lead a touchdown drive.”
Though he was the one who benched Wilson in the first place, Saleh’s defense of his quarterback was more than fair. Not only was there marked improvement in the second-year quarterback’s decision-making, but he’s in line to make another start Thursday night. Of course, his coach is going to come to his defense.
In the end, none of what Saleh said should leave Jets fans to believe Wilson is entrenched as the starter. It still appears as though New York will play it by year, making Thursday’s matchup against Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars perhaps the biggest of his young career.
