Jets Country

Jets' Zach Wilson Says He Didn't Let Defense Down After Worst Game of Season

New York scored only three points in their crushing loss to New England, a game that was decided by a punt return with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Max Goodman

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Zach Wilson's performance against the Patriots on Sunday was his worst the season. 

In certain categories, it was the worst game of his entire career.

Wilson threw for just 77 passing yards, completing only nine of his 22 pass attempts. It's the third time in Wilson's two-year career where the first-rounder has thrown for fewer than 100 yards and completed less than 10 passes. One of the other two occurrences where he accomplished that futile feat was when he injured his knee against the Patriots, a game last year where he played only 18 snaps on offense. The other was New York's disgraceful performance in a Week 17 loss to the Bills, concluding last year's four-win campaign. 

And yet, Wilson didn't take full responsibility for a performance that was truly hard to watch, a game that would've been a blowout if New York's defense wasn't exemplary.

Asked if he feels like he let his team's defense down, producing three points in the loss with two yards of total offense in the second half, Wilson responded quickly and emphatically.

"No," he said with a straight face. 

New York had a grand total of 103 yards on offense on Sunday. While the Jets held New England to three points before a game-winning punt return for a touchdown with seconds to play in the fourth quarter, sacking Patriots quarterback Mac Jones six times, Wilson was unable to move the ball all afternoon. The signal-caller missed open receivers, took his lumps in the pocket and routinely failed to convert on third down. 

The only positive takeaway from Sunday's loss was that Wilson didn't turn the ball over, throwing the ball away when he needed to. Last time New York faced the Patriots, Wilson threw three interceptions. Then again, New England had multiple opportunities to pick Wilson off this time around, they just couldn't haul in the interceptions.

"All around, we weren't executing," Wilson told reporters after the 10-3 loss. "We weren't able to move the chains. They were doing a good of making it hard on us to get easy ones in the passing game. Couldn't establish the run game very well and then obviously I had some that I want back. Gotta find a way in these conditions."

Jets head coach Robert Saleh was visibly frustrated by the performance of New York's offense as well, calling their effort in the second half "dog s—t."

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher  of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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