Sunday’s Patriots-Jets game in New Jersey might go down as an historic stinker in the rivalry, as first-year New York QB Zach Wilson put up the kind of performance that would make Sam Darnold’s ghost blush.
Wilson’s first two passes of the game went for interceptions, and neither was particularly close to finding paydirt, sailing well beyond his receivers and into territory occupied exclusively by waiting Patriots DBs.
Neither was a spectacular play by the defense, to say the least. They both just sort of … materialized.
Which is why it was so surprising to hear Wilson be the one to come out in the aftermath of Sunday’s loss and say that he wasn’t terribly impressed by what was laid before him.
According to the rookie QB (again, in his second-ever start), the Patriots’ coverage wasn’t really all that mysterious.
He read it properly. He diagnosed the blitzes. He just … tossed it to the wrong guy several times. Is that so wrong?
After the game, Jets QB Zach Wilson said repeatedly that the Patriots didn't surprise him with anything.
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) September 20, 2021
"I wouldn’t say that they do a ton as far as coverage wise. I feel like we had a good idea and we were seeing the field well. It was just a lack of execution."
Jets QB Zach Wilson says he was not impressed or surprised by the Patriots.
Oh, so, in that case … you’re just bad! Glad we clarified the situation. Because, see, I was worried that Bill Belichick worked his “rookie QB” powers on you, rendering your struggles moot in the larger narrative scheme because he’s just that good and can do it to anyone.
But, I guess … you didn’t see it that way. So you just made incorrect decisions and poor throws all on your own. Very reassuring, in terms of keeping you contained in the future.
Wilson’s not the first recent Jets rookie to underwhelm in his first crack at the New England Patriots, nor is he the first to struggle during his opening weeks on the job.
What is interesting, though, is that of the four rookie quarterbacks to toss up a game this bad over the past 20 years, three of them were Jets.
This sums up a lot of things:
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) September 19, 2021
Zach Wilson is the 4th rookie top-5 pick with 0 Pass TD and 4+ Int in a game in the last 20 seasons. The last 3 QBs to do it were all Jets. Others were Sam Darnold and Mark Sanchez. FYI: Alex Smith did it in 2005. #Jets @ESPNStatsInfo
Darnold certainly looked like someone on the rebound in Week 2 for the Carolina Panthers.
All that’s left, we guess, is to figure out who’s going to save Wilson.
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