Granted, he was lacking his two finest receivers and working again, and the much less stated concerning the 2020 draft class — Mekhi Becton and Denzel Mims — the higher.
And it’s all the time a part of the take care of rookie quarterbacks, however these rising pains from Zach Wilson (19-for-42, 202 yards, 0 TDs, 33 yards dashing) are troubling and painful to look at.
Which implies one other week when the bedraggled, frazzled doomsayer Jets fan can’t assist however ask himself: Did we decide the improper quarterback? Ought to we have now drafted Mac Jones? Ought to we have now drafted Justin Fields?
(The Sam Darnold crowd has left the constructing.)
It’s method too untimely, and downright folly to succeed in any such conclusion after a mere 9 NFL begins. However within the meantime, this Zach Wilson curler coaster is making the long-suffering members of the green-and-white mob nauseous once more.
“I’m a rookie, I simply received right here, I by no means as soon as instructed myself that that is gonna be simple after I received right here,” Wilson stated after Saints 30, Jets 9.
That extremely anticipated showdown between Trevor Lawrence and Wilson the day after Christmas? Lawrence threw four interceptions against the Titans on Sunday. Cue Bart Scott: “Can’t wait.”
In equity, the child should really feel as if he’s on Wilson Island, left bare to the world with out Corey Davis and Elijah Moore and Michael Carter whereas he’s reducing his tooth on the professional sport.
However that post-injury second season he talked about appeared all an excessive amount of like the primary season. The place simple throws are something however simple for him.
“I believe lacking some simple ones, that’s by no means been a difficulty for me clearly, and I believe a part of it’s simply gonna be getting used to this NFL sport,” Wilson stated. “Among the routes that I didn’t do loads in faculty, that’s not making an excuse in any respect, however I gotta get higher to provide these guys a pleasant correct ball over the road.”
In different phrases: Zach Wilson is a challenge. Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh drafted him for his upside. However this can be a reminder that there’s a draw back to ready for an upside.
Arm expertise isn’t merely how briskly and much you throw the ball.
“I gotta throw the ball higher, giving the blokes a greater likelihood to run after the catch … good from the start I gotta be extra correct,” Wilson stated.
There have been a handful of fairly throws and even a few scrambles from Wilson that give the poor Jets fan a touch of hope for the longer term, however that’s about it, and it wasn’t sufficient to beat the likes of Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara on a day when the embattled Jets’ protection (203 dashing yards allowed) gave Saleh half an opportunity at a keep of playoff execution: That’s proper, the Jets have been eradicated from the postseason for the eleventh consecutive season.
It is going to be 12 if Wilson doesn’t progress the way in which Saleh is satisfied he’ll in 2022.
“Throwing the ball has all the time been simple so I want to simply make it simple. … I gotta belief what I’m seeing,” Wilson stated.
There was one intentional grounding and one horrific throw on a bubble display that bounced on the ft of Braxton Berrios, and a large throw over the center to a wide-open Berrios and one on the ft of tight finish Ryan Griffin.
On the Berrios throw: “I simply didn’t set my arms on the laces too nicely, and tried to get it out too fast, slipped out of my hand.”
On the Griffin throw: “I rushed it.”
And whenever you play quarterback for the Jets, you haven’t any margin for error, as a result of these items are inclined to occur:
Finish of the half, third-and-1, Wilson rolled left and hit Jamison Crowder for two yards.
Then a kind of well-documented lasers to Griffin for 22.
Then Wilson rolled left and located Ty Johnson for 16.
Solely 24 yards from 10-10, solely 31 seconds left to get it to 10-10.
Palms to the face on Mims.
Adopted by unlawful formation on Mims, who returned for one play late within the second half.
Then there have been three first-half drops by Ty Johnson, cross safety woes — Becton was supposed to assist resolve these points and he apparently was despatched into house by Jeff Bezos — and Crowder tripping on one route, and a deflected cross that was almost intercepted, and sure, it’s all the time one thing. Wilson was 4-for-4 for 49 yards in rubbish time on the finish to inflate his stats and naturally he fell inches in need of the objective line on a scramble on the final play of the sport.
“It wasn’t his cleanest sport, clearly,” Saleh stated. “Clearly he’s performed higher prior to now, and he’ll get higher from it.”
Wilson is now six touchdowns in opposition to 11 interceptions with a 56.1 completion share. Darnold as a rookie: 17 TDs, 15 INTs, 57.7 %. Geno Smith as a rookie: 12 TDs, 21 INTs, 55.8 %. Mark Sanchez as a rookie: 12 TDs, 20 INTs, 53.8 %. Déjà vu another time.
“It’s gonna flip,” Saleh reiterated.
The rookie quarterback has to flip first for it to flip.
