Jets quarterback Zach Wilson spent the entire week at the center of a firestorm after a report that coach Robert Saleh wanted to go back to Wilson as his starter, but Wilson wasn’t so keen on that idea.
Some will say it made Wilson look good — after all, who could blame the third-year quarterback for being less than thrilled after the Jets have been so readily willing over the past year to subject him to the public shame of multiple benchings.
Others will say that Wilson hasn’t earned that right because he hasn’t played well enough and he was guaranteed $35 million when he signed his rookie contract more than two years ago.
It doesn’t really matter what anyone says because Sunday against the Texans, Wilson went from the middle of a firestorm into the middle of a rainstorm and delivered the best performance of his career in a 30-6 win at MetLife Stadium.
Wilson finished 27 of 36 for 301 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Jets to more points in the second half (30) than they’ve had in every game but one this season. The Jets who had two offensive touchdowns in their previous five games, had two in the third quarter alone as they seized control of the game.
It doesn’t mean the Jets were wrong to replace Wilson with Aaron Rodgers this past offseason. Or that they were right to make Wilson, despite all of his baggage, the only viable backup to the oldest quarterback in the league this season when they said — repeatedly — that Wilson needed a year to sit back and watch.
One good game does not make Wilson a good quarterback. Even if he plays well next week against the Dolphins — a tall order in its own right — it will be the first time in his career he’s strung together strong performances back-to-back.
As it turns out, Sunday’s performance was only the third time in Wilson’s career he’s had more than 300 passing yards in a game. It was only the second time in his career he’s thrown for two touchdowns with zero interceptions.
Wilson still has…
Read the full article here