Zach Wilson Finishes Rough Week With What Jets Are Calling 'Best Game Of His Career'
It's not the last laugh that Zach Wilson got on Sunday because there are more games to play. But the New York Jets quarterback was definitely smiling after Sunday's victory over the Houston Texans.
And that's a much different picture than we saw earlier this week when Wilson, fresh off a report saying he was reluctant to return to the starting lineup, said "there is a chip," on his shoulder and he feels like he needs "to prove something."
Zach Wilson proved something on Sunday in stunning fashion.
He completed 27 of 36 passes for 301 yards with 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
"In the second half I thought Zach probably played the best game of his career," Jets coach Robert Saleh said. "He was out there having a good time. He made a lot of things happen that weren't there. So hat's off to him. I thought he was outstanding today."
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 10: Head coach Robert Saleh of the New York Jets celebrates after a touchdown with Zach Wilson #2 during the fourth quarter in the game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium on December 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Jets Praise Zach Wilson For Great Game Vs. Texans
The praise came from the locker room as well as the coaching staff, including receiver Garrett Wilson who caught nine passes for 108 yards.
"I mean, he balled, man. He balled," Wilson said of his quarterback. "Throwing darts. In the rain. Those things messed with what they were trying to do on offense. As far as what we were trying to do, Zach handled it ... Zach went crazy today ... It's great to see him go out there and just hoop."
The things that make this a notable performance are that, firstly, Wilson doesn't typically play like this. He has struggled to a great degree for much of his three NFL seasons and has been benched multiple times the past two seasons as a result.
Wilson came into this game completing only 59.2 percent of his passes. He completed 75 percent this game.
He came into the game with a 73.8 rating. His rating this game was 117.9.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 10: Head coach Robert Saleh of the New York Jets celebrates after a touchdown with Zach Wilson #2 during the third quarter in the game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium on December 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Zach Wilson Mixes Short And Long Game For Jets
"I think the word I gave you guys about being aggressively smart is the key, right?" Wilson said afterward. "It's taking shots when you feel there's an opportunity is there and, if not, you protect the ball and check the ball down and having a mixture of both."
Wilson wouldn't come right out and agree with Saleh that this was his best game although that is the case according to every combined metric.
"We'll go back and watch," he said. "The flow of just playing football today was just there. And I can't say it's been like that a lot, unfortunately, in my career here. That's what we're searching for right there, It's just playing ball. Just completing passes. That's what we're always hunting for."
The more interesting issue is the timing of this performance.
Wilson playing like he's headed to the Pro Bowl comes at the end of a week in which The Athletic reported he was showing reluctance to return to the lineup for fear of getting injured. That report, obviously generated through sources within the team, slimed Wilson's character by painting him as a something of a quitter.
Jets injured starter Aaron Rodgers said the report was a character assassination by a club source and spoke of problems within the Jets culture.
And, by the way, Saleh was asked multiple times early in the week if Wilson was indeed starting and the coach hesitated, saying "I'm not there yet." That suggests Saleh was weighing whether indeed Wilson was the right guy to play or not.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 10: Breece Hall #20 and Zach Wilson #2 of the New York Jets celebrates after a touchdown during the third quarter in the game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium on December 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Wilson Answers The 'Reluctant' Narrative
So the timing of Wilson playing great is perfect for the young quaterback.
"The timing and reasoning, who knows," Saleh said Sunday afternoon. "But four more of those, that would be pretty good."
Wilson would not go so far as to suggest he played like this to answer the critics or the sources or anyone. But he didn't need to say it. It was obvious.
"Yeah, it's been three years where it's been challenging obviously," Wilson said. "But it's focusing on the ones that truly matter. Keeping my circle tight. Understanding that the guys that truly matter, the ones in there battling, going through it with me and they all got my back.
"And so how can I give everything I got? I play this game because I love to compete, I love to play. I love the thrill of making the big throws and winning football games and that's truly the reason I play this game.
"It's exciting when you're able to do that as a unit. It's easy to ignore all the noise when you're able to go and do that stuff."