Zach Wilson's return to the Jets lineup was uneven, but it ended in a win. New York beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-20 last Sunday, with the quarterback making his first appearance since hurting his meniscus and bruising a bone in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Joe Flacco started the first three games of the season in his place.
Wilson finished 18 of 36 for 252 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. According to RBSDM, his expected points added per play was negative 0.01, a measure of efficiency that compares how plays perform against expectations. That figure was still better than Flacco's. In the Week 3 loss to the Bengals, Flacco posted a negative 0.41, among the worst marks for quarterbacks in the league.
Coach Robert Saleh praised his quarterback's composure in the pocket. "He was very poised, very calm, throwing the ball, throwing darts, throwing lasers exactly where they needed to go and guys were just grinding after catch," Saleh said. He also pointed to the team's third-down and fourth-down conversions and a hurry-up situation after a Corey Davis catch, where the Jets still picked up five yards.
The offense looked different with Wilson running it. New York leaned on the ground game with 29 rushing attempts, and rookie Breece Hall led the way with 66 yards on 17 carries. The coaching staff expected some rust after Wilson's long layoff, so the first pass call did not come until a third-and-7, when he hit Elijah Moore for six yards and the Jets had to punt.
On his second drive, Wilson showed off his mobility. Pittsburgh sacked him on first down and pressured him again on second-and-14, but he scrambled left for nine yards. That play set up a third-and-5 that Hall converted, and the drive ended with a 38-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein. The third drive was one of the Jets' best of the young season. Wilson placed a throw to Moore on third-and-7 from the Jets' 33 with Cameron Sutton in coverage, later found Moore again for 28 yards, and finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson.
There were also clear mistakes. On a third-and-11, Wilson was flustered by a collapsing pocket and Malik Reed's pressure, and threw into coverage for an interception by Sutton. He also stared down receivers at times in the first half, which ended with him 6 of 16 for 91 yards and the pick. In the third quarter, a high throw to Tyler Conklin deflected off his hands and was intercepted by Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers had sent six defenders, including three linebackers, more than the Jets' line could block, and Wilson needs to recognize that look at the line of scrimmage and change the play.
The fourth quarter was a different story. Wilson went 10 of 12 for 128 yards and a touchdown, his best stretch in a Jets uniform. With New York trailing 20-17 late, he spoke up in the huddle and then backed it on the field, taking what the Steelers defense gave him rather than forcing deep throws into coverage. Davis was a key target on the final drive, and Wilson stepped up in the pocket for a 17-yard completion to him. Without that throw, it is hard to picture Hall scoring the game-winning touchdown later in the drive.
The next test comes this weekend against the Miami Dolphins, whose defense has underperformed. Through four weeks, Miami ranks 28th in total defense at 403 yards and is tied for 29th in sacks with seven. That could create openings for Wilson, particularly if cornerback Xavien Howard, who has been dealing with a groin injury, does not play.
