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Not sure how much it means, but
I’ve seen Aaron Rodgers leave the Jets’ locker room after their last three home games – Kansas City, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Chargers.
When he walked out after the Chiefs’ game (10/1) and the Eagles’ game (10/15), he was limping on his surgical Achilles.
Seeing him walk out on Monday night, after the Chargers’ game (11/6), he wasn’t limping.
I’m not a doctor, but that anecdotal evidence perhaps signifies progress . . .
In some arguments, it’s possible that two things could be true at the same time.
Some will argue that the Jets’ offensive struggles aren’t Zach Wilson’s fault, due to some protection issues. He was sacked seven times against the Chargers in the Jets’ 27-3 loss.
The Jets’ brass perhaps made a mistake with their decision for the right side of their offensive line on Monday night, moving Max Mitchell to right guard, a position he has little experience at, and putting in Billy Turner, who might have lost too much weight, at right tackle. Turner has been a good player over the years, but looks like an oversized tight end right now, more than an offensive tackle. That isn’t a shot at a quality player, just an observation. To use a saying NFL scouts have used for years, “He needs more sand in his pants.” He got pushed back too much by bull rushers against the Chargers.
In retrospect, maybe they should have kept Max Mitchell at right tackle and plugged in a more natural guard like Xavier Newman or Chris Glaser at right guard.
So yes, the Jets’ offensive line wasn’t great against the Chargers (or the Giants), so that didn’t help Wilson, but even with that being the case, they also probably need to make a QB change.
Wilson is giving it his best shot, but he needs to speed up his internal clock. He often holds the ball too long, not processing fast enough, and this isn’t helping the line either. He’s also not throwing with much anticipation, with many passes arriving late.
On one play, that Wilson had protection, but held the ball too long, I heard a fan scream from the stands – “Throw the ball.”
It’s time to consider Trevor Siemian or Tim Boyle. Siemian, who went 25-24 as a starter for the Denver Broncos in 2016-17, could be the perfect game manager to compliment a Jets defense that is playing on a high level. I’m not saying he’s Tom Brady, but he’s a cerebral Northwestern graduate who can do a serviceable job.
Now it’s possible confirmation bias related to Wilson could get in the way of a move like this, but the Jets are 4-4 right now, and certainly still in the hunt for a wildcard spot, so they should perhaps try to take advantage of that.
Wilson has thrown one touchdown pass in the last four games, and that was on a one-yard throw to Breece Hall over the short middle, which the running back took in for a 50-yard touchdown with some nifty open-field running. How does a receiver like Garrett Wilson not have a touchdown catch for a month? That is far from ideal.
Garrett Wilson isn’t going to name names or point fingers, but he’s clearly getting fed up.
“It’s inexcusable, man, and it’s getting to the point where it’s disappointing,” Garrett Wilson said after the Chargers’ game.
Once again, some will argue that the Jets’ offensive woes aren’t just Wilson’s fault.
“The entire offense, obviously, we all could have been better,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said after the Chargers’ game.
True, but it’s possible that that can be the case, and you also need a QB change.
But it’s possible that the coach, a compassionate man, doesn’t want to hurt Zach Wilson’s feelings by pulling him.
November 7, 2023
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