Adding Jet fuel to the fire?
The Jets were grounded about 15 minutes into their season, when quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down with an Achilles tear, throwing cold water on a promising season for Gang Green. What was supposed to be something of a redshirt season for Zach Wilson turned out not to be that way, with Wilson stepping in for an injured Rodgers as the team's QB1.
Despite some modest mechanical improvements, Wilson has played like the Wilson of 2021 and 2022, which isn't inspiring anyone — and especially not his own team.
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According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, the Jets locker room is "ready to implode" over Zach Wilson's play and Robert Saleh's seeming devotion to starting the 2021 No. 2 pick. On the latest episode of the "Flight Deck" podcast, Cimini explained why the Jets may be teetering on the edge:
He’s (Saleh) coming off as a Zach apologist, and that doesn’t play well in the locker room. The defense, in particular, is not happy. … 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.
MORE: Will the Jets bench Zach Wilson? Exploring options for Gang Green
After something of a miracle win vs. the Bills in Week 1, the Jets offense has put up just 20 points in their last two weeks. The Jets defense wasn't up to snuff in their matchup vs. the Cowboys — Dallas dominated with 42 minutes time of possession — but held the Patriots offense to just 13 points in Week 3. The Wilson-led Jets offense could muster only 10 points against their division rival.
Wilson hasn't been any better, statistically speaking. He's completed 52.4 percent of his passes for 467 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions through three games this year. This all comes with a reworked offense, too.
So, who can really blame the Jets defense for reportedly feeling this way? The unit is reliving a nightmare from the second half of the 2022 season, when New York finished its campaign on a six-game losing streak and 1-7 after their bye week, when the offense was broken past the point of repair. That led to the ousting of offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and a facelift of their offensive coaching staff this year, and also the arrival of Rodgers.
The Jets may turn to somewhat familiar face Trevor Siemian in the coming weeks, as he was signed to the team's practice squad. Siemian had a cup of coffee with New York in 2019 before breaking his leg in a matchup vs. the Browns.
The Jets were looking to February before the start of the season, but for Super Bowl purposes. Now, it's Groundhog Day again in Florham Park.