Zach Wilson and the New York Jets tamed the Buffalo Bills in their week one win. The New York Jets have not lost confidence in their path toward a championship run, regardless of losing MVP QB Aaron Rodgers. QB Zach Wilson is tasked to lead this loaded Jets roster into Dallas to face a talented Cowboys team also pursuing champion glory but was overmatched by Dak Prescott and a dominant defensive core. Week 2 for the Jets was a disaster, losing to the Dallas Cowboys 30-10.
New York Jets Week 2 Slay and Bomb
Slay:
Garret Wilson slays once again, catching a 68-yard touchdown bullet pass by Zach Wilson to tie the game early in the second quarter. Wilson’s explosive speed was on full display as he sprinted to the endzone to get the Jets’ offense rolling. Wilson ended his night with two receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown. Although many NFL analysts believe Garret Wilson’s stock took a major hit now that Rogers is out, Wilson continues to slay with his second TD of the young season and should be locked in on all fantasy leagues.
Dak Prescott and his dynamic offense faced a talented Jets defensive scheme in the first drive of the game and quickly exerted their dominance. A five-yard touchdown pass in the opening drive by veteran QB Dak Prescott to rookie TE Jake Ferguson made this Jets defense look helpless. Prescott looked good against the Jets, finishing his day with 31 completions on 38 attempts, passing for 255 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Cee Dee Lamb is a name many NFL fans hear often, and there’s no doubt his raw talent and experience as a WR for Dallas were going to challenge Jets CB Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed. Lamb, however, picked apart the Jets secondary, avoiding tackles and speeding past defensive schemes. Lamb destroyed this Jets’ defense all game despite being unable to reach the endzone; fantasy managers should be happy with Lambs’ impressive afternoon, totaling 11 receptions for 143 yards against Gotham City.
The Cowboys stated in the offseason they wanted to run the ball more, and that’s exactly what RB Tony Pollard has done. The lead back gained 72 yards on 25 rush attempts. Pollard is a receiving back, so his dual-threat skill set also allowed him to catch the ball for an additional 37 yards on seven receptions. Pollard is a stud, so he should be a lineup lock for fantasy managers each game.
Bomb:
Zach Wilson bombs in Week 2, leading this Jets offense to a single touchdown score. Wilson had moments of glory, but there were plenty of ugly moments of less-than-stellar play. Coach Robert Saleh felt “Zach Wilson has been awesome” in the first half. Wilson’s exceptional arm strength and accuracy were on full display Sunday afternoon, although he threw three interceptions. Wilson completed 12 passes on 27 attempts for 170 yards. It’s encouraging to see the Wilson-to-Wilson touchdown connection for the second week in a row; however, to put the sole blame on Wilson’s performance is unfair. The Jets offense as a whole did not execute on Sunday.
Jets HC Robert Saleh – Mike Stobe/Getty Images
The former second-round draft pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Breece Hall, silenced his doubters with a masterful running game against a tough Bills defense in Week 1. That performance did not continue in Week 2 against a Cowboys’ defensive front known to limit opposing teams’ run game. The Jets could not find any running room for their tailbacks despite multiple attempts to establish the ground game.
Veteran RB Dalvin Cook also bombed on Sunday, finishing his afternoon with 7 yards on four rush attempts. The Jets signed Cook in the preseason in hopes of establishing a potent run game with Breece Hall. In two games, Cook has 40 total yards on 17 rush attempts which has left fans to grow impatient with his performance. Fantasy managers who drafted RB Dalvin Cook should look elsewhere for production, as Cook’s days as a top-10 RB are behind him.
The Jets have not impressed two weeks into the NFL season. Zach Wilson and this Jets offense continue showing glimpses of greatness, executing key plays to compete against other high-scoring offenses in the league. The biggest issue, as mentioned in the Week 1 article, is the Jets offensive line’s inability to limit pressure, as well as Zach Wilson’s inexperience to lead a group of veterans and rookies to win the Vince Lombardi trophy.
To rely on the Jets’ defense to win games each week is illogical. The offense must show up. In Week 2, the Jets decided to abandon the run game despite lackluster attempts to find open receivers. For Week 3, the Jets face their conference rival, the New England Patriots; let’s hope Coach Robert Saleh and his staff can reclaim glory and save Gotham City from the Patriots.
