ZACH WILSON HIGHLIGHTS BECAUSE WE CAN
The Zach Wilson experiment has finally started yielding some serious results. After injuries, playing four different quarterbacks last season, and another preseason injury to Wilson, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Though not a perfect performance by the Jets or Zach, it was the best result you could ask for. For Zach to shake off the rust and finally get the keys to the offense that the front office has been building all offseason, it was a fantastic sight with tons more to look forward to. Zach himself, in the press conference above said it was a battle, but most importantly, he said he was having fun, something that plays such a huge role in team chemistry and success. Look at the Chiefs; they look like they have tons of fun while playing; that's the vibe I'm hoping to see continue this season with the Jets.
The first half of Wilson's performance was rougher, but we started to see him work in great connections to Moore while using his feet to pick up critical 1st downs and create opportunities a guy like Flacco could not. But the greatest highlight had to be the NY Special with the Griddy celly. I know it sounds stupid, but it's hard playing for the Jets; the previous teams bow out when it's not fun anymore; they talk to their agents, try to get trades, and just collect checks without getting hurt.
Fun is what keeps underdogs fighting hard; enjoying adversity is how upsets happen. The Bengals had that same vibe last season. Keep the vibes high.
Also, his picks weren't as boneheaded as some of the really bad ones we saw last year. They all are easily fixable and not exactly the results of shitting the bed. For Example:
In this play, we see Zach Seemingly throw an errant ball directly to a corner covering overhead. From what I am looking at, the receivers ran some sort of stop corner route concept (like a smash concept but different) out of trips but with a cover 4 beater option if the corner is bailing. Elijah Moore may have been supposed to continue on a go route clearing out Cameron Sutton (guy who picked it) into the endzone. This would allow the corner route to be open in the area Moore cleared out between the numbers and the sideline. Moore and Wilson probably made different reads of the coverage, causing Moore to run the deep Hitch/stop/sit(whatever you subscribe to) route and leave Sutton overhead to pick off the ball intended for Jeff Smith #16 on the corner route. He may have even been throwing to Moore on a go route but his read was a stop. Whatever it was, it was an obvious miscommunication. This is typical of a QB just coming back from a month off an injury; chemistry comes with time. Not worried.
This pick on a 3rd down trying to make a play in a collapsing pocket is forgivable. It was high, but this is where a receiver needs to make a play for his QB under pressure.
The second half was the best sight to see. A Jets team coming back from behind and Zach Wilson playing the clutchest football the Jets fans have ever seen from him. Wilson was throwing deep strikes that took the top off the defense. His undeniable arm talent was reigned in. He seemed comfortable and poised; he was confident, something we did not see last season.
He led a game-winning drive where he went 5/5 for 57 yards for a score. That's the best you could ask for. The future is bright. The Tualess Dolphins come to the Meadowlands next Sunday. Could the Jets sneak up the ranks of the AFC east….