Allen Lazard, NY Jets
Allen Lazard, New York Jets, Getty Images

Zach Wilson’s breakout on the ground was the highlight of the night for the Jets.

Behind 218 yards for Kyle Trask, 84 going to Rakim Jarrett, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earned a 13-6 preseason victory over the New York Jets on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium.

Zach Wilson once again played the entire first half for the Jets, completing 9-of-13 for 70 yards and engineering two green scoring drives that each ended in Greg Zuerlein field goals. The third-year man was responsible for the Jets’ most electrifying play of the night on the latter of the pair, breaking loose for a 35-yard rush that put the Jets in Tampa territory and allowed him to stand as the team’s leading ground tallier.

The Buccaneers visited the end zone first on Saturday, earning a 33-yard scoring hook-up between Kyle Trask and Trey Palmer in the latter stages of the first half.

Ashtyn Davis led the way for an otherwise strong first half effort for the New York defense, picking up five tackles, including three for a loss. Bryce Huff also got in on the fun with a sack of Trask.

The second half took on a slightly somber tone after two scary injuries. Tampa Bay backup quarterback John Wolford was carted off the field after a neck injury while rookie Jets rusher Israel Abanikanda was ruled out with what was revealed to be a thigh ailment.

The closest the Jets came to scoring in the second half came on their opening possession when Tim Boyle got them to Tampa’s six-yard-line but Dee Delaney’s interception off a deflection from Keenan Isaac was earned via replay review.

The Bucs closed things out with a fumble recovery.

On a positive note, Mekhi Becton stood out in his first appearance at right tackle while playing 25 offensive snaps, which made up 47% of the Jets’ offensive plays (Becton’s highest snap percentage of the preseason so far).

The Jets wrap up their four-game preseason slate next Saturday when they engage in the annual MetLife Stadium civil war against the New York Giants (6 p.m. ET, WNBC/NFL Network).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran football writer with years of credentialed experience with the Jets and Giants. Email: geoffmags90@gmail.com
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