The losses are already starting to pile up for the Jets, but as of now, head coach Robert Saleh has no intention of taking the starting quarterback job away from Zach Wilson.
Saleh reaffirmed his commitment to the third-year quarterback after New York’s 15-10 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Wilson struggled for a majority of the game, outside of one fourth-quarter drive, and he failed to throw a single touchdown pass during the afternoon.
“Yeah, he’s fine,” Saleh said in response to a reporter’s question about Wilson remaining as the team’s starter.
“We’re still early in the season,” Saleh continued when pressed on the issue. “We knew that even with Aaron [Rodgers] at quarterback we knew that there was gonna be some hiccups along the way because of the new offense. The new play-caller, the new [offensive] line, just new players on the offensive side of the ball.
“Now you’ve got this curveball that was sent to us and so they’re acclimating. They’re gonna get better, but it’s still very early in the season.”
Sunday’s loss was the Jets’ second consecutive loss since they stunned the Buffalo Bills on “Monday Night Football” in Week 1.
Since then, things have quickly gone downhill, to the point that Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath was chirping Wilson and the coaching staff on social media during Sunday’s defeat.
Wilson completed 18 of 36 pass attempts for 157 yards. He also found himself sacked on three occasions for a total loss of 24 yards.
Wilson didn’t throw an interception on Sunday, unlike his first two games of the year, but he has been sacked at least twice through the first three games of the year and his decision-making skills under pressure have drew ire from those who watched him play.
The former first-round pick got an earful from the MetLife Stadium crowd and took the blame afterward over why the offense struggled.
“It starts with me. I have to find a way to be better,” Wilson said. “We’re gonna go back and watch this film. We’re gonna find out all those things and find out how we can improve.”
The focus and pressure on Wilson is only going to intensify from here on out as long as the Jets struggle.
Sunday’s loss will take on an even tougher lens considering two veteran quarterbacks reportedly expressed interest in joining the organization in the wake of Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1.
Prior to the start of the game, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that free-agent quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz reached out to the Jets, but the team was sticking with Wilson as their quarterback.
Saleh would not address the report after the game.
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