New York Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson had one heck of a week. As he and the Jets enjoyed a week of joint practices with the Green Bay Packers, Wilson admitted to “binge-watching” fellow passer Aaron Rodgers during the practice sessions.
Wilson finished the week putting up Rodgers-like numbers at Lambeau Field.
In limited action Saturday, Wilson shined for the Jets. The rookie quarterback completed 9-of-11 passes for 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and let the Jets to 17 points, leading three scoring drives on his four offensive possessions.
Wilson got going early, finding wide receiver Corey Davis on this post route working from the left side of the field to move the chains on a third-down situation:
.@ZachWilson to @TheCDavis84 to convert on third down!
📺: #NYJvsGB on @nflnetwork (or check local listings)
📱: https://t.co/cpzdYUarjZ pic.twitter.com/T7NEDmJdfR— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2021
The pair would connect later in the first quarter, with Wilson finding Davis deep along the right sideline in a scramble drill situation:
The @ZachWilson to @TheCDavis84 connection is heating up. 🔥
📺: #NYJvsGB on @nflnetwork (or check local listings)
📱: https://t.co/cpzdYUarjZ pic.twitter.com/NEQwy8tX9e— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2021
Both the vision, and the arm talent, stand out on this play. First, Wilson has to find Davis downfield. But he makes this throw on the move and it comes out like a rocket, preventing any of the Packers’ defenders from making a play on the football.
Wilson and the Jets capped off that drive with this touchdown from Wilson to tight end Tyler Kroft:
.@ZachWilson to @Kroft86! Touchdown @nyjets!
📺: #NYJvsGB on @nflnetwork (or check local listings)
📱: https://t.co/cpzdYUarjZ pic.twitter.com/u51PcDQfi1— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2021
What stands out on this play from the rookie quarterback is two-fold. First, what he does with his eyes. Wilson opens to the right on this play, and in doing so he influences the single-high safety to respect that side of the field. The rookie then flashes his eyes back to the left to pick up Kroft as he clears the underneath defenders. But the QB still needs to make this throw, dropping it over the underneath defenders but before that single-high safety can recover.
He does that with a mere flick of the wrist.
The second scoring play from Wilson again came with Kroft on the receiving end. For many, the decision by the Jets to draft Wilson lied in the scheme fit. The young quarterback took a huge step forward last season when BYU incorporated more play-action concepts working off outside/wide zone designs, similar to what teams like the Packers are running with Matt LaFleur.
Or what many expect the Jets to run this season under Mike LaFleur.
So this touchdown play, coming off such a design, was something we probably should have seen coming:
Wilson to Kroft AGAIN! The duo link up for another @nyjets touchdown!
📺: #NYJvsGB on @nflnetwork (or check local listings)
📱: https://t.co/cpzdYUarjZ pic.twitter.com/i7fFDKgqCe— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2021
Wilson carries out the play-action fake to his right and then rolls back to his left, picking up a flood concept to that side of the field. He takes the easy throw to Kroft in the flat running the slice route — coming under the line of scrimmage like he is executing the backside block on a zone running play, and then releasing to the flat — and the TE skips into the end zone for the score.
After an auspicious start to his training camp, Wilson has looked locked in for both of his preseason appearances, first against the Giants and now against the Packers. Jets fans are likely celebrating tonight, and with good reason. Wilson looks like he might be the right fit after all.