Zach Wilson

Not a lot can be gained by rookie quarterback Zach Wilson returning behind center in an NFL game, until new head coach Robert Saleh and general manager squarely on the hot seat, Joe Douglas are positive he is ready. They appear to be making the right decision. The young quarterback can gain more from the sidelines for now.

As a parent, it is amazingly cool when your child does something that you are really proud of. It is not unusual for parents to become overwhelmed with emotional pride. So, when Mike White was named the New York Jets starting quarterback this week to replace their injured "franchise" Zach Wilson, White's parents were incredibly proud. When the 2018 5th round pick out of Western Kentucky led the Jets to an improbable victory over the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday and the Met Life crowd erupted in chanting "Mike White, Mike White, Mike White..," well that was a new level of emotion for the QB's parents.

Very honestly, I am not sold yet on New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson. Was I impressed with the New York Jets #2 selection in the 2021 draft last week? Yes I was. Am I sold that the Jets made a good decision, no, not yet. Am I happy that Zach did well last week and the Jets finally won a game? Yah, of course but it's one game. Should I list the New York Jets quarterbacks that won "a" game and never won many more? You don't want me to.

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh knew his team was better than the 26-0 beatdown that the Denver Broncos put on his team last Sunday. The score didn't show it but he was sure his team was getting closer. Saleh just needed one of his skill position players to step up. He got it. The first year head coach's top draft pick delivered.

Two quotes surfaced on earlier today, one from each New York offensive coordinator. Despite the similar job, the quotes themselves, were very different.

When I first posed the question "Did the New York Jets Get It Wrong Again?" to a long time Jets fan, he immediately responded, "Which "it"?" At first, I was a bit surprised that he didn't know I was referring to the team's number one draft pick in April, Zach Wilson. Then I realized, he knew. He was just making the point that Gang Green fans may be reliving 2018 all over again.

Two weeks into Robert Saleh's head coaching career with the New York Jets and fans are already beginning to question, "is this just more of the same?" After watching their discarded high first round draft pick quarterback of only a few years ago in Sam Darnold, knock off Gang Green's new shiny first round draft pick quarterback from this year Zach Wilson, in week one, Jets fans were again sick to their stomachs. Add in a nice week two, 25-6 Bill Belichick beat down starring his rookie quarterback Mac Jones at the helm and Jets fans are thinking very bad thoughts.

We've had roughly 24 hours to digest the New York Jets' abysmal performance against the Patriots. With the dust now having settled, let's point some fingers.

If you are a Buffalo Bills fan, you went into yesterday afternoon's game prepping yourself for Game 1 of your Super Bowl bound season. If you are a New York Giants fan, you started the day salivating at the prospect of young Daniel Jones taking that next step in his progression as your franchise quarterback, surrounded by his newest offensive acquisitions. And, if you happen to be one of those downtrodden Jets fans, you just didn't want your team to suck like it has for the past two years (it actually felt like twenty) under the disastrous spell of Adam Gase.

It was funny. When I first saw that Zach Wilson, the rookie Captain quarterback for the New York Jets, the first person I thought of is Derek Jeter. My thought, "I can only hope that he could be half of Jeter." I never thought of the correlation again, until today, when I read Ian O'Connor's article today in the New York Post, "Jets’ Zach Wilson has the tools to pave his way to greatness."

To me, the comparison to Sam Darnold is important. I have said it time and again, Sam Darnold was at a disadvantage with Adam Gase as his head coach. I am not trying to be funny. Sometimes there are bad head coaches. Gase was one of them. At the same time, Darnold made enough head scratching plays to make you wonder if the Jets missed on him. Given the track record of former Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan, it wouldn't shock anyone if he selected a bust to be his franchise quarterback.

Andy Vasquez from USA Today Sports and northjersey.com was on The Drive with Charlie and Dan today right after seeing Wilson perform at Jets mini-camp. Andy was pleasantly impressed by Wilson but noted, “no one was trying to tackle him or his receivers…” With that said, he still has to have an understanding of the Jets offense already. That is a good sign. Vasquez also dispelled the rumblings that Zach Wilson was too small to be an NFL quarterback, saying Wilson “is only an inch shorter than Sam Darnold.”