Zach Wilson fails to build on promising Week 13 performance in loss to Saints

Zach Wilson and the Jets offense were horrendous against New Orleans.

Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson constructed a promising performance in last week’s loss to Philly. Despite the defeat, Wilson looked as if he was improving at the game’s most important position.

This 2021 Jets campaign wasn’t supposed to be successful, but witnessing consistent improvement from the team’s (hopeful) franchise signal-caller would’ve been an absolute positive for the organization and its impatient fanbase.

Thus, all eyes were on Zach to see if he could build on the 226-yard, two-touchdown Week 13 outing against New Orleans Sunday.

He did not, to say the least.

Wilson and this Mike LaFleur-coordinated offense were horrendous against the Saints, who won 30-9 to improve to 6-7 on the year. Hampered by injuries to various offensive weapons (Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Michael Carter, and Tevin Coleman) and poor offensive line play (the Jets allowed three sacks), Wilson was anything but sharp at MetLife Stadium.

The first-year player was off-target on numerous occasions, finishing the day with 23 incompletions (19 of 42 overall) along with 202 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

It wasn’t just Wilson though, as we already mentioned. This entire offensive unit was putrid, gaining just 256 total yards and converting on only three of 14 third downs.

The 11-man group is in such a poor spot, both production-wise and injury-wise, La’Mical Perine actually earned some carries. The second-year running back, who had just one carry on the year, finished with 28 yards on seven rushing attempts.

Another promising performance from Wilson would’ve provided the fanbase with some down-the-stretch confidence in what’s been another disastrous season for a now-3-10 team.

But a forgettable day brings Zach and the Jets back to square one with a red-hot Dolphins team on deck.

Kamara crushes Saleh’s defense

Robert Saleh‘s defensive unit basically needed to be perfect amid the immense struggles surrounding the Jets offense.

But issues on that side of the ball additionally played a role in the defeat.

With Taysom Hill at quarterback, the Saints placed Alvin Kamara at the forefront of their offensive game plan, utilizing the ever-dynamic back both on the ground and through the air.

Despite Kamara returning from a four-game injury-related absence, the fifth-year player looked as healthy as ever.

The star back finished the contest with 120 rushing yards and one score to go with 25 receiving yards on four catches, overpowering a Gang Green defensive unit that has struggled mightily for much of the season.

Hill, who isn’t a legitimate NFL quarterback by any measure, only needed to rack up 175 passing yards to notch the win, the Saints’ first since Halloween. That’s how poor this Jets defense continues to be in a year when it really needed to step up given the young offense that’s in place.

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