The NY Jets’ head coach and multiple players spoke about Texans takedown
The New York Jets bounced back in a big way on Sunday.
After a week filled with controversy on the offensive side of the ball, the Jets responded by defeating the Houston Texans, 30-6.
The team’s defense was dominant again, holding star rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud to 92 passing yards and allowing only a single touchdown to running back Devin Singletary.
As well as the defense played, though, the offense played an equally important but more shocking role in the decisive victory.
Inserted back into the starting role, Zach Wilson went 27-for-36 for 301 yards and two touchdown tosses without an interception. He consistently found receiver Garrett Wilson, who finished with nine receptions for 108 yards. The quarterback’s only blemish on the day was a fumble after scrambling for several yards, leading to the Texans’ lone score.
Running back Breece Hall was also big for the Jets’ offense, posting 126 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown reception.
Overall, it was the first time the Jets have scored 30 points in a half in over five years and the first time they had 30 or more points on offense since 2008.
#Jets scored 30 points in the second half today.
It's the most points they've scored in a half since they had 31 in the second half at Detrot in 2018.
But they had a punt return TD in that half at Detroit. All 30 of the Jets' points today were scored on offense.
Last time they…
— Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) December 10, 2023
Postgame comments
After the game, head coach Robert Saleh spoke about the Jets’ second-half performance.
“The second half, I thought Zach (Wilson) probably played the best game of his career. Just the off-schedule stuff, the timing and rhythm, and getting the ball out to where it needed to get to. Being aggressive but smart at the same time,” Saleh said. “I know he had the scramble [which led to a fumble], but just the aggressiveness to scramble. He’s out there having a good time. He made a lot of things happen that weren’t there, so hats off to him. I thought he was outstanding today.”
Saleh added some praise for his defense: “Defensively, I have high regard for C.J. (Stroud), who is going to be a really good player in this league. I thought our front end handled it again. I thought our back end was sticky and made it hard for him. And then special teams did their thing.”
The team’s head coach also spoke about the aggressive game plan the offense utilized against Houston.
“It was one of those games where all of these beautifully designed plays were not going to be left in the bag. Just let it out. Let the bag loose and see what happens.”
Zach Wilson said he thought it was “an unbelievable job by everybody” and that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett “called a great game.”
“I mean, as a coach, you’re always like, ‘Don’t throw those.’ And sometimes they go the other way. So, for me, it’s throw it when you believe it’s there, trust in it,” Wilson remarked. “Sometimes bad plays are going to happen, but you’re going to have to trust in those and let it rip. It’s part of football.”
Garrett Wilson also discussed the quarterback’s performance.
“He balled, he balled. Put it all out there, throwing dots in the rain, and those things mess with what they were trying to do on offense. As far as what we were trying to do, Zach handled it, and that is always our goal, handle it better than them, and we did. Zach went crazy today, like I said, he has got all the faith in us in the world. It is great to see him and the just hoop.”
For the Jets, playing complementary football is a highly encouraging sign. With an effective offensive performance, the defense was able to play aggressively and shut down the Texans’ vaunted passing game.
Consistency will be key for the Jets moving forward, especially considering that they have shown flashes in other games this season before falling apart. Certainly, a date in Miami with the Dolphins next week will be as stiff a follow-up as the Jets could face. But if the team can build off of Sunday’s performance, they have a good chance to end the season on a high note.
