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This game is why he was picked
second overall – the ability to make off-schedule throws when the play breaks down.
Zach Wilson put on an off-schedule throwing clinic today in the second half of the Jets’ 27-24 OT win over the Titans.
The 54-yard throw to Keelan Cole in the third quarter, to set up a field goal, was the start of his off-schedule clinic. Then in the fourth quarter, there was a deep pass to Corey Davis that drew a 43-yard pass interference penalty. Also in the fourth quarter, there was a 53-yard off-schedule TD to Davis.
He did this stuff at BYU all the time, where the play breaks down, he does a marvelous job avoiding the first rusher, scrambles around, and hits a player down field for a big gain.
According to Jets coach Robert Saleh, these off-schedule throws can really mess up a defense.
“Quarterbacks that go off-schedule, there is no defensive call for that,” said Saleh.
“Part of the game I feel like I have that comes naturally to me was being able to do things off-schedule,” said Wilson . . .
There is a play late in the game that eats at Zach Wilson.
3rd-and-1o, from their own 40, and he was off-target on an out to Davis, probably would have gone for the first down, and perhaps iced the win.
But due to this errant throw, the Titans got the ball back, drove down the field, and tied the game at 24 with :19 left in the game.
“I had a couple chances there to just end it,” Wilson said. “I’ve got to take advantage of my opportunity to end that game.”
The Jets could have gotten out of MetLife with a win in regulation, without having to play 10 extra minutes of football, with a trip to London in the offing. These overtime games can hurt you the next week, especially when you have to take a long road trip. Five quarters of football can really beat up your body.
But you look at this errant throw, and it shows you the unusual skill set of this player. He can make these circus off-schedule throws downfield, but some of the more routine throws from the pocket, like this third-and-1o attempt to Davis, flew over the receivers head.
The Jets think that improved footwork and mechanics can help on these kind of throws, but that stuff is very hard to fix in-season. It’s more of an off-season project.
But in the mean-time, some of this off-schedule stuff is magical, and why he went second overall.
Just as example, Mac Jones can’t do that stuff, and I’m not taking a shot at Mac Jones, but he needs to set his feet to make most throws. Wilson doesn’t . . .
While Derrick Henry rushing for 157 yards is far from ideal, the Jets’ defense did a lot of good things against Tennessee.
Now, we can’t ignore the Titans being without both starting receivers, Julio Jones and A.J. Brown, both special players, but the Jets’ pass rush was a tour-de-force in this game, led by Quinnen Williams (2 sacks) and Bryce Huff (1.5 sacks)
Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich did a great job of dialing up pressure packages, including two perfectly timed delayed blitzes by C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams that led to sacks.
And speaking of Mosley and Quincy Williams, they led the Jets with 13 and 12 tackles, respectively. They were tackling machines out there, and the Jets often went with two linebacker sets, with just the two of them, and using an extra defensive back.
When a teams defensive line plays well, like the Jets; front did today, it frees up the linebackers in back of them to make a ton of tackles, due to all the extra blocking attention garnered by a talented D-Line.
October 3, 2021
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