When you thought Zach Wilson’s time in New York was coming close, he gets another opportunity to show why he was taken so high in the 2021 draft. On Friday morning, it was announced that Wilson would be named the starter for the Jets’ important matchup with the Detroit Lions. Wilson’s counterpart Mike White suffered a rib injury in the Week 14 contest against the Buffalo Bills. Even though White exhausted all options to be cleared to play, the coaching and medical staff did not favor him suiting up this Sunday against Detroit.
Head coach Robert Salah seems confident in Wilson’s ability to lead the team. “We feel very comfortable about Zach’s preparation as the first-string quarterback,” said Saleh, adding that Wilson has received “a normal workload” for a starter in practice and that he knew at the beginning of the week there was “a strong possibility” that Wilson would have to start.”
Sometimes injuries to personnel can lead to new opportunities and end some for others. Wilson is on the receiving end of getting his job back because of an injury to the starting QB. White provided a spark to the Jets’ offense that Wilson never seemed to ignite while under center. Despite being 1-2 with White at the helm, the Jets’ offense averaged 22 points per game. Here is the origin of why Coach Salah made the QB change from Wilson to White. On November 20, the Jets were on the road to take on the New England Patriots.
The game was a low-scoring defense battle tied at 3-3 for a significant portion of the contest. The Jets would lose 10-3 when Patriots rookie Marcus Jones returned an 84-yard punt for a touchdown with five seconds remaining. However, Wilson’s postgame interview got everybody’s attention, and he would not take accountability for his dismal performance against New England. In the loss against the Patriots, Wilson only threw for 77 yards and completed nine of twenty-two passes. He was benched and has not seen action since the November 20 contest against New England. Wilson will have four shots to prove he is a long-term option for the Jets beyond 2022. Let us look at the season’s final four games and examine the Jets’ chances of succeeding with Wilson at quarterback.
Week 15: Lions
It’s been a while since we mentioned the Jets and the Lions being in playoff contention. That will be the case this Sunday when the two face each other. The game will also determine if Wilson learned anything from his benching that occurred a few weeks ago. The Jets’ defense will face a Lions offense that is ranked fourth in the NFL in total offense. However, Detroit’s defense is not good at all. They are currently at the bottom of the league in every statistical category on defense. If Wilson wants to portray a good impression, it has to happen against the Lions’ terrible defense.
Week 16: Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars cannot be taken lightly by the Jets. Because all of a sudden, they have something to play for. The Tennessee Titans are on a two-game losing streak, dropping their record to 7-6. The Jaguars can gain more ground on the Titans’ division lead with a win over the Jets. The Jags dropped 36 points on the Titans in Week 14. If Wilson is still the starter by the time the Jets host Jacksonville, he will be facing a team that plays with a lot of confidence right now.
Week 17: At Seahawks
Depending on what is left to play for the Seahawks could determine how effective they will be by the time they host the Jets. If New York’s defense can have the same type of outing similar to what the 49ers had against Seattle on Thursday, then the Jets should have no problem winning.
Week 18: At Dolphins
By the time the Jets face the Dolphins in the Week 18 rematch, many things could be determined. Wilson may be in the Jets’ plans for the future, or the organization may be ready to close the book. The last time the Jets played against New York, they dropped 40 points on a Dolphins team that did not have Tua Tagovailoa as their starting QB. For the Jets to position themselves for the best possible outcome from a playoff standpoint, they must win their final four games. They will need outside help from the Patriots and Dolphins to gain traction on the seventh and final playoff spot.
