New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) celebrates with teammates after scoring a two-point conversion against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
EAST RUTHERFORD — Perhaps this was the quarterback the New York Jets were hoping to get when they took Zach Wilson second overall. After calls for his starting job intensified, Wilson delivered a career game on Sunday Night Football against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
It just wasn’t enough to win.
Wilson completed a career-high 28 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns while outdueling the reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes in every metric except the scoreboard. While the team ended up losing 23-20 to the champs, Wilson’s strides as a passer were hard to miss. Throughout the night, Wilson made throws that left fans in awe and excited the coaching staff enough to warrant more trust in the young signal-caller.
“He’s been practicing outstanding. I’m really happy for him to show he belongs in this league. If he plays like this, we’re going to win a lot of football games,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said after the loss.
Despite the unprecedented plays that kept the Jets in the game, Wilson’s lone turnover was a killer turn of events for New York. Late in the fourth quarter and at midfield, Gang Green’s offense was driving for the potential go-ahead score. Unfortunately, Wilson fumbled the snap and the Chiefs recovered.
New York never got the ball back.
As a sign of further maturity, Wilson made it clear after the game that the loss solely rests on his shoulders, and that they would have gone down and won the ball if they received another chance.
“I lost us that game,” Wilson said afterward. The quarterback also reportedly spoke up in the locker room directly following the loss and took responsibility for it. The team around him responded with a…
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