In the latest edition of Board Games, Ted Johnson breaks down how the Patriots used ‘off the line’ blitzing to create confusion all game long for the Jets offensive line and quarterback Zach Wilson, leading to the QB essentially ‘self-sacking’ during the first quarter.
Stop us if you've heard this before, but the New York Jets have a major problem at quarterback.
Aaron Rodgers' season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1 thrusted Zach Wilson back into the starting QB role, and he hasn't fared any better than he did over the first two seasons of his career.
Wilson has completed just 52.4 percent of his passes for 467 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He hit a new low in the Jets' Week 3 loss to the Patriots, which dropped New York to 1-2. Wilson completed 18 of 36 pass attempts for just 157 yards with zero touchdowns. He was also tackled in the end zone for a safety late in the fourth quarter.
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Multiple Jets players, including running back Michael Carter and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, were visibly frustrated on the sideline during the 15-10 loss last Sunday. But despite Wilson's struggles, Jets head coach Robert Saleh said after the Week 3 defeat that the 2021 first-round draft pick will remain the starter.
What's the mood like in New York this week amid all the drama? ESPN's Rich Cimini, who has covered the Jets for a long time, painted an interesting picture on his "Flight Deck" podcast.
“(Saleh is) coming off as a Zach apologist," Cimini said. "And that doesn’t play well in the locker room. The defense, in particular, is not happy. The defense allowed only 13 points on Sunday and they're hearing about the busted coverage on the TD, some third-down conversions that got away from them. Thirteen points. You're supposed to win games when you give up only 13 points.
"This defense knows that if any other player were performing his job the way Wilson is performing his, that player would be benched. Trust me, there’s tension in that locker room. On Tuesday morning, an off day for players, I was told that this was a hot topic among players in the locker room. I get the sense, from what I’ve seen on the sideline and from what I’m hearing, that this team could be ready to implode.”
Ready to implode? Yikes.
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It's painfully obvious Wilson is not a starting-caliber quarterback, so it is interesting that Saleh has defended him publicly so much, particularly after the Week 3 loss.
The Jets signed Trevor Siemian earlier this week, but he will be inactive for New York's Week 4 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Siemian is better than Wilson, but he's not a real fix for the Jets' quarterback problems.
The Jets would be wise to call the Minnesota Vikings and see if Kirk Cousins is available. That would be a real upgrade and give the Jets a fighting chance to make the playoffs in the AFC. But even at 0-3, the Vikings probably aren't ready to give up on their 2023 season yet.
