Zach Wilson sputters, but New York Jets can take many positives out of loss to New England Patriots
Zach Wilson’s home debut was doomed from his very first pass.
Wilson fired a desperation throw to Corey Davis that was subsequently tipped and intercepted. He would throw another interception on his next pass attempt and finish the day with four picks in total. The Jets lost 25-6.
Despite Bill Belichick’s reputation against rookie quarterbacks, Wilson’s wounds were mostly self-inflicted. The Patriots didn’t run any exotic coverages – Wilson was simply making poor decisions and forcing passes. The hype got to him, and in turn, caused him to pass up easy throws for covered shots downfield.
While Wilson’s second career start was ugly, it was still just that: his second career start. Hopefully, he will learn from his early mistakes and save the hero ball for when it’s absolutely necessary.
Trial by fire is a common theme in the NFL, and Zach Wilson just got his first burn.
Wilson’s debacle overshadowed what was an overall great day from the rest of the Jets.
The offensive line bounced back after a rough start in Carolina. The Jets rushed for 152 yards at nearly five yards per carry. Rookie running back Michael Carter lead the team with 88 scrimmage yards and converted six of the team’s 18 first downs.
Despite the limitations of Wilson’s turnovers, the Jets finished the day with a respectable 336 yards of total offense and drove into New England territory seven times. If Wilson can fix his mistakes, the offense still has exciting potential.
Considering the situation Wilson’s turnovers put them in, the defense had an excellent day.
The Jets’ defense held the Pats to 260 total yards. Quarterback Mac Jones had a high completion percentage but was a check-down machine as he posted an average target depth of only 4.6 yards downfield. New York’s defense had three sacks and 10 tackles for loss while stopping New England on nine of 13 third downs.
The defense was great overall, but the young corners deserve special attention. New England’s wideouts were held to nine catches for 69 yards.
Bryce Hall is looking like a future star in his second season, allowing two catches on three targets across 73 snaps in coverage. Additionally, rookie Michael Carter II is thriving in the slot, constantly breaking up passes and making tackles for minimal gain.
The Oklahoma Drill Podcast is back with a review of the Jets’ Week 2 loss to the Patriots. The crew breaks down what went wrong with Wilson, what can be done to fix it, and what to look for in the coming matchup against the Broncos.
New York has the youngest roster in the NFL with an average age of 25 years old. Growing pains are inevitable, and while Zach Wilson faltered, fans should be excited about the fact that the rest of the team held its own.
