Last Sunday, the New York Jets took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium in their final home game of the season. It looked as though the Jets were in prime position to pull off a 24-20 upset and to beat Bucs QB Tom Brady one last time. However, that was not the case as a last-minute touchdown drive by the Buccaneers offense and successful two-point conversion ended any hopes the Jets had of winning the game. This just goes to show how legendary Brady is and no matter whether you love him or hate him, he always seems to find a way. This was likely Zach Wilson’s only chance to beat him, and he played well enough to do so.
In terms of the offense, they were very efficient at moving the ball down the field until the fourth quarter, that is. Wilson completed 19 of 33 passes for 234 yards, 1 touchdown, and no interceptions. This is the fourth straight game that Wilson has not thrown an interception. The only questionable call by the offense was deciding to go for it on 4th and 2 inside the red zone instead of kicking a chip shot field goal to make it a 27-20 lead and at the very worst, the Buccaneers tied the game. It is very unlikely that they would have gone for two had that been the case because then they would risk losing the game by 1. Nonetheless, the Jets opted for a quarterback sneak on 4th and 2 and Wilson only picked up one yard, turning the ball over on downs. Also, the trio of Wilson, RB Michael Carter, and WR Braxton Berrios continue to make the big plays and should only be a force to be reckoned with hopefully for years to come.
In terms of the defense, even though the Jets lost, they did not do so by committing costly penalties and they did not allow 30 or more points for the second straight game. They were able to get pressure on Brady throughout the game, which is paramount if a team wants to have any chance of beating him. Rookie CB Brandin Echols has continued to make a name for himself as he had an interception just before halftime that led to 3 points for the Jets. However, they did not live up to the task of keeping the Buccaneers out of the end zone on their final drive. This is a perfect example of Same Old Jets and even worse that it was against their arch nemesis who has terrorized them for many years as a member of their division rival New England Patriots.
This week, the Jets will close out their season against the Buffalo Bills at Orchard Park. In Week 10 when the Bills came to the Meadowlands, they blew out the Jets 45-17 and Zach Wilson wasn’t even a part of it. This matchup will be his first against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills will be playing for the AFC East Crown while the Jets will be looking to play spoiler and a chance to win a division game for the first time in two years. Don’t worry too much Jets fans...if Wilson was able to go toe to toe with Brady, he must be something special after all.
-Jack Henry Cicio
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