A respectable first half-effort in Dallas failed to build momentum for the Jets
New York football is seeing stars … run right past them.
The New York Jets became the Dallas Cowboys’ second straight metropolitan victim to open the 2023 season, impressing the AT&T Stadium crowd gathered for their home opener to the tune of a 30-10 victory. Garrett Wilson scored the only touchdown for the Jets, uniting with quarterback Zach Wilson for a 68-yard tally in the latter stages of the first half.
CeeDee Lamb led the way with 143 on 11 receptions for the Cowboys, who also enjoyed two sacks from Micah Parsons.
WILSON TO WILSON FOR 68 YARDS @ZachWilson | @GarrettWilson_V
📺: #NYJvsDAL on CBS⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/4tVpCFAKbT
— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2023
Dallas opted to start the game with the ball and took advantage to the tune of a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Jake Ferguson’s tally from Prescott from four away.
Jake Ferguson TD!
The @DallasCowboys' hot start to the season continues.
📺: #NYJvsDAL on CBS⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/IjGYRudORV
— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2023
After a sequence of consecutive punts broken only by the first of five Brandon Aubrey field goals, the Jets (1-1) showed some fight with the Wilson-to-Wilson hook-up. Dallas responded with yet another tight end touchdown (rookie Luke Schoonmaker getting one from Prescott from a yard away before Tony Pollard earned a two-point conversion) but Zach Wilson broke loose for several field-shrinking rushes that allowed the Jets to earn a field goal from Austin Siebert to set up a one-possession deficit going into the halftime locker room.
Dak Prescott is one fire, as the Cowboys lead the Jets 18-7 in the 2nd Q after this Luke Schoonmaker TDpic.twitter.com/nDOCoSAVGp
— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) September 17, 2023
Zach Wilson getting it done on the ground too
📺: #NYJvsDAL on CBS⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/TZGwmtUUV5
— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2023
Though the Jets refused to allow Dallas (2-0) end zone re-entry, their second half scoring sustained entirely by four Brandon Aubrey field goals, three turnovers killed off any chances at a comeback. The first triple was set up by Micah Parsons’ rip-away from the arms of Dalvin Cook (originally ruled a touchdown before a revision upon review) before Zach Wilson threw three interceptions to more or less close the deal.
Micah Parsons forced fumble, scoop and score (pending review)pic.twitter.com/4C6U91izTN
— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) September 17, 2023
Zach Wilson 🎯 Jayron Kearse pic.twitter.com/cRA13nNPWN
— PFF (@PFF) September 17, 2023
Sunday’s loss could prove painful in more ways than one: toward the end of the game, Garrett Wilson went to the medical tent after standing as one of the Jets’ top offensive option, earning 83 yards on a pair of catches.
The Jets return to divisional play next weekend as they’ll get their first of two chances against the New England Patriots on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
