Zach Wilson and the New York Jets Week 2 performance was disappointing; on Sunday, they faced division Rivals New England Patriots in a Week 3 matchup that exhibited a modest offensive showcase from both teams. Zach Wilson’s Week 2 performance reminded fans why Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles injury dealt a massive blow to the Jets’ expectations of making the playoffs. The Jets once again failed to takeoff in Week 3 falling to the New England Patriots 15-10 despite a valent effort from the Jets defensive unit to limit damage.

New York Jets Week 3 Slay 

A player that deserves recognition is veteran fullback Nick Bawden, who now leads all Jets rushers in touchdowns with his first of the NFL season. Bawden’s single carry led to a 1-yard touchdown late in the 4th quarter. RBs like Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook have yet to score a rushing touchdown, even with consistent usage.

Although the New York Jets lost a vital division matchup against Mac Jones and the Patriots, the Jets’ defensive group slayed in Week 3. In an exhausted display of contention during the Week 3 matchup against the Patriots’ balanced offensive scheme, stars like DT Quinnen Williams and CB Sauce Gardner limited their opponents to 13 points on Sunday afternoon. Despite allowing Bill Belichick’s Patriots to tally 357 yards on the day (201 passing, 157 rushing), this defensive group remains the heart and soul of this Jets team. Count on this defense to give its QB Zach Wilson plenty of opportunities to remain competitive each week.

Veteran Kicker Greg Zuerlein slays this week as his long 52-yard FG in the first half helped to keep this sluggish Jets offense in contention. Zuerlein also connected on an extra point FG after the Jets scored a touchdown late in the 4th quarter. Zuerlein’s kicking skills have not been needed with an offense not able to reach the red zone. Fantasy managers holding on to Zuerlein should not expect much support from the kicker unless Zach Wilson and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett move this passing attack forward.

The Jets’ offensive line slays on Sunday, stepping up to challenge a difficult Patriots defense with stars like DT Christian Barmore (1 sack) known to put pressure on QBs. With Jets LT Duane Brown landing on the Injured Reserve list with a hip injury, reconfiguring this offensive line proved to be a smart move by Coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Keith Carter. Performances from Offensive linemen like Alijah-Vera Tucker, rookie Joe Tippmann, and Meki Becton were inspiring on Sunday. The front five proved their talents during the game, but establishing an exciting touchdown drive late in the 4th displayed determination and focus.

Mac Jones had a good day passing against a youthful Jets secondary. On 29 attempts, Jones completed 15 of those passes for a total of 201 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon. The young QB avoided sacks by rushing for an additional 13 yards on the ground on five carries. Veteran RB Ezekiel Elliot continues proving his doubters he can still run the ball effectively with 80 rushing yards on 16 carries while averaging a healthy five yards per carry. TE Pharoah Brown also slays this week, providing New England with the only touchdown. Brown gained 70 yards on two receptions; despite the heavy volume on Sunday, Brown remains 2nd in the depth chart behind Hunter Henry.

Bomb

Coach Robert Saleh’s confidence in QB Zach Wilson has not faltered.  Yet, based on Wilson’s performance since Week 1, the QB has a total of 467 total yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions three games into the NFL season. The New York Jets offense has been an eye-sore so far despite a healthy RB in Breece Hall and a dynamic group of wide receivers.

Zach Wilson bombs in Week 3 as his performance was abysmal, even with the New York Jets offensive line’s stellar performance on Sunday. Wilson’s indecisive tendencies in the pocket need to improve. With Zach Wilson under center, the Jets once again failed to identify open receivers, complete drives, or provide their talented kicker Greg Zuerlein a chance for field goal attempts.

New York Jets QB

Jets QB Zach Wilson (2) – Al Bello/ Getty Images

The bad weather might have influenced the sluggish performance from both teams, but the boo birds rained down on Zach Wilson most of the afternoon; completing 18 passes on 38 attempts for 157 total yards and no touchdowns. Jets fans have seen enough of Wilson, but he is not the only individual who must take accountability for the 1-3 start to the season.

 

Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett must also accept some of the blame and criticism for the Jets’ offensive struggles. With a core of young playmakers, such as WR Garret Wilson, Allan Lazard, and RB Breece Hall, at his disposal, the offense is stagnant as well as underutilized in coach Hackett’s playbook.

Nathaniel Hackett

Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett- Archysport

Head Coach Robert Saleh remains optimistic that Zach Wilson will improve as the season progresses based on Wilson’s focus and preparation each week. During Coach Saleh’s media conference after their Week 3 loss against the Patriots, the head coach stated, “He’s our unquestioned quarterback, as long as he continues to show the way his preparation, the way he’s been practicing, and even in these games, he’s not the reason why we lost yesterday.” Week 4’s matchup gets tougher for the New York Jets and Zach Wilson as they welcome Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce to Gotham City.