ZACH WILSON MIGHT HAVE JUST PUT THE NAIL IN HIS COFFIN IN UGLY PRIMETIME LOSS TO TREVOR LAWRENCE AND JAGUARS

 On Thursday Night Football in Week 16, the New York Jets took on the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium. Coming into this game, the Jets had lost 3 games in a row and desperately needed a win to stay in the playoff race. This matchup was a rematch of the two quarterbacks taken in the 2021 NFL Draft in Trevor Lawrence (1st overall) and Zach Wilson (2nd overall). However, Zach Wilson was badly outplayed by Trevor Lawrence as his Jets lost 19-3. As a matter of fact, it got so bad that the 80,000 fans in attendance were booing miserably due to Wilson’s poor play and spending money just to get soaked and watch their team get dominated on the field on national television. In the third quarter, Wilson was eventually benched for fourth-string quarterback Chris Streveler who played much better than the former second overall pick. However, by that point it was far too late. The Jets have now lost 4 games in a row, something they did not do all of last season and put their playoff hopes in jeopardy. 

In terms of the offense, they were extremely inefficient. Wilson completed only 9 out of 18 passes for just 92 yards, no touchdowns, and 1 interception. Streveler came in during the third quarter and completed 10 out of 15 passes for 90 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. In addition, the offensive line failed to protect either quarterback and had numerous holding and false start penalties throughout the game making it that much harder for both quarterbacks. Finally, the drop by Corey Davis on 4th down late in the game did not help matters either as the Jets were driving down the field. While Davis has been healthy, he has not been very productive for the Jets except for maybe two games. Despite the struggles with the offensive line and Corey Davis, Zach Wilson was absolutely horrendous in one of the biggest games of his career. 

In terms of the defense, they were basically a non-factor except for the strip sack by DT Quinnen Williams on Jacksonville’s first drive, which led to the only points the Jets scored all night. That sack brought Williams’ sack total to 12 on the season as he continues his Pro-Bowl caliber season and is very much in the running for AFC Defensive Player of the Year. While it was an accomplishment holding a Jaguars team that scored 40 points last week against the Cowboys to only 19, it did not do them any good as the offense was unable to get anything going. 

This weekend, the Jets will ring in the New Year by traveling out west to take on former Jets QB Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks. QB Mike White will return to action this Sunday as he has been the most efficient quarterback this season for the Jets and gives them the best chance to win. Strangely enough though, the Jets are still very much alive in the playoff race as the Bengals beat the Patriots this week, the Steelers beat the Raiders, and the Packers beat the Dolphins. Gang Green will be in the playoffs if they win their final two games and the Patriots lose one more game. In order to beat Seattle this week, the Jets will need to establish their running game, score much more than only 3 points, and the defense needs to force turnovers. If these Jets are not the Same Old Jets, they will do the near impossible and run the table and the Patriots will lose to either the Dolphins or Bills in the next two weeks. Jets fans, as a wise man by the name of Al Michaels once said…do you believe in miracles?

-Jack Henry Cicio