Do the New York Jets have a real issue at quarterback?
The New York Jets are having one of their best seasons in years.
At 5-3 midway through the 2022 season, Gang Green finally looks like it has built a great roster, with arguably one of the best defensive units in the league. Rookies Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall have been a breath of fresh air in New York, while free agency additions have stepped up to make the team competitive.
But there is still one, notable area of major concern. And it’s the most important part of their team; quarterback.
The Jets lost their 12th consecutive game against arch-rivals the New England Patriots on Sunday. It’s fair to say that Zach Wilson’s performance was largely to blame. In fact, it’s hard to look at any of his games so far this year and believe that he is the long-term answer for New York.
Robert Salah’s men should have beaten the Patriots on Sunday. The defense worked hard to restrict the Patriots to just one touchdown, with the majority of New England points coming from field goals.
But three interceptions from Wilson cost the Jets dearly in Week Eight.
Has Wilson showed enough progress in Year Two so far?
Wilson is 4-1 since returning from injury this season. But it’s difficult to get too excited with his quarterback play. Before the defeat to the Patriots, Wilson had thrown for just one touchdown during the four-game winning run and his completion percentage had been inconsistent during that streak.
Wilson is struggling, mainly as a result of some poor decision making that you might expect of a rookie. All three of his interceptions against the Patriots were bad and completely avoidable. And now, being in year two and showing little signs of improvement on decisions, this must be a huge concern for the Jets.
We’ve been here far too many times before with the Jets over the last decade. Geno Smith, now starring for the Seahawks, wasn’t given much time, while Sam Darnold wasn’t given the protection nor the supporting cast to help his development.
Wilson has the latter, but with the rest of the roster now in a position to compete, can the Jets afford to wait?
What to expect going forward
As a Jets fan, I am desperate for the team to give Wilson plenty of time. There have been glimpses of brilliance, but the negatives have so far massively outweighed the positives.
The Jets will aim to bounce back against another AFC East opponent next Sunday when they host the Buffalo Bills. While winning that game may be difficult, New York needs it’s QB to step up.
The success so far of 2022 for the team means a shot at an elite QB from the 2023 NFL Draft seems unlikely, but anything can happen. Right now, Wilson is playing poorly and unless things change quickly, the Jets may be eyeing a search for a new quarterback once again.
