Analysis

10/2/23

5 min read

Despite Loss, Zach Wilson Silenced Critics in Strong SNF Showing

By Marcus Mosher

Going into Sunday Night Football, there was a belief around the league that this might be QB Zach Wilson's last start for the New York Jets for the foreseeable future.

In his previous two starts against the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots, the Jets scored just 20 combined points, and Wilson had a passer rating of 48.8. With another poor performance in primetime, the Jets might decide to move on and trade for a veteran who could help them win games. 

That was the exact scenario playing out for most of the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Jets punted on their first drive drives, gaining 43 yards on 13 plays. Wilson looked out of sync with his receivers, and the offense was getting booed off the field. 

Zach Wilson Turns Things Around

Things turned around for Wilson in the second quarter. He completed several passes down the field to Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard. He put together several nice drives to tie the score at 20-20 in the third quarter. It was easily the best Wilson looked in his three seasons as he made throws in tight windows and used his legs to make plays. 

His best throw of the night came on a third-and-8 from the 10-yard line. Wilson read the field and delivered a strike to Lazard in the middle of the end zone, just out of the reach of Bryan Cook. Wilson confidently threw the ball on time and in rhythm, capped by a play that tied the score.

 

After the touchdown, the Jets opted to go for two to tie the score. Wilson scrambled to his left to make the 2-point conversion with the pocket breaking down. That drive, along with the 2-point conversion, was easily the best sequence Wilson has had in the NFL. His confidence level was sky high, and the rest of the offense started to feed off him. 

The Jets and the Chiefs each punted on their next two possessions before the Chiefs eventually kicked a field goal to take a 23-20 lead in the fourth quarter. 

Golden Opportunity Slips Away

Wilson got another chance early in the fourth quarter to win the game. Armed with excellent field position, Wilson led a nice drive for the Jets that crossed midfield. He made several nice throws on the drive, including a beautiful third-down conversion to Garrett Wilson. Then came the biggest mistake of the night. Zach Wilson mishandled a snap that the Chiefs recovered. 

In a game where Wilson played so well, the dropped snap ultimately cost the Jets any chance to win. The Chiefs started that next drive with 7:24 left and the ball on the Jets' 47-yard line. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs proceeded to burn the entire clock.  

As well as Wilson played, it was a devastating loss for the Jets because this was a game that they could have stolen against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Jets' offense had its chances but failed to score points on its final three drives. 

The silver lining here is that Wilson played one of the best games of his career sans the fumbled snap. He finished 28 of 39 for 245 yards and two touchdowns. His passer rating of 105.2 was a career-best. More importantly, he gave the offense a real chance to have success. 

Has Wilson Taken a Step Forward?

So, how much can we take away from his Week 4 performance? It’s tough to say because one performance does not make a player. But he stepped up in a game where the Jets needed Wilson to play better. Wilson played with much more confidence and the offense looked functional. 

If we are making the case for Wilson, it should start with the fact he's played four excellent defenses to start the season (Buffalo Bills, Cowboys, Patriots and Chiefs). There will be easier opponents in future weeks that should allow him to build more confidence and rhythm in the offense. And with this type of performance in primetime, maybe things are finally starting to click for him in this offense. 

If Wilson continues to play near that level going forward, the Jets will win a lot of games this season. And that’s exactly what Robert Saleh said after the loss to the Chiefs. Unfortunately, it’s hard to expect that type of performance from Wilson again, as it was certainly an outlier game from him. 

But we know this game gave Wilson more opportunities to show he is the right guy for the job until Aaron Rodgers returns. The Jets are 1-3, so they can't wait much longer for Wilson to develop into that guy. They need this type of performance week in and week out to have a chance in the AFC moving forward without Rodgers. 

Marcus Mosher is an NFL writer with a decade of experience in podcasting and writing for various NFL websites, including Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus and The Athletic. He's currently a managing editor at USA Today Sports Media Group and host of the Locked On Cowboys Podcast. Marcus has been working full-time covering the NFL since 2015 and works as a betting expert for Gambling.com. You can follow him at @Marcus_Mosher.

Tags: Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard, Garrett Wilson See More

Marcus Mosher

Marcus Mosher is an NFL writer and analyst with a decade of experience in podcasting and writing for various NFL websites, including Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus and The Athletic. He covers the NFL from a betting and fantasy perspective, producing written and video content. He is the host of the Locked On Cowboys Podcast and is a managing editor at USA Today Sports Media Group covering the Las Vegas Raiders. Marcus has been working full-time covering the NFL since 2015. 

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