Zach Wilson’s NFL debut against the Panthers was essentially a night and day performance.
Wilson spent the first half of the Jets’ 19-14 Week 1 loss to the Panthers swarmed by a sea of Carolina pass rushers. New York’s rookie quarterback struggled over the first 30 minutes as a result, often succumbing to pressure and tossing a bad interception that led to a Panthers score in the second quarter.
The opening minutes of the third quarter featured more of the same, but Wilson eventually settled in to throw two late touchdown passes, almost leading the Jets back from a 16-point deficit. The BYU product showed a lot over the final 16 and a half minutes of play and there is reason to believe he could produce at a consistently solid clip once the Jets get their offensive line turned around.
But how did Wilson’s performance stack up against his rookie counterparts? Here is a look at what each first-year passer did for his respective team in Week 1.