Jets quarterback Zach Wilson’s raw arm talent has never been in doubt, but poor decision-making and confidence issues have proven to be a major obstacle for the former No. 2 overall pick.
As recently as a few weeks ago, it seemed unlikely that he could get past those issues as long as he remained on the Jets’ roster. Benched for the second consecutive season, Wilson stood on the sidelines not knowing whether he would ever play another snap for New York.
Not only did Wilson play a snap on Sunday against the Texans, but he led the Jets to their first win since Oct. 29. While New York’s defense was stellar, Wilson moved the ball better than he has at just about any time this season. The Jets exploded for 30 points in the second half alone, more than the team scored in its last three games combined.
MORE: Why the Jets returned to Zach Wilson as starting QB
Here’s a closer look at Wilson’s stats from his terrific performance against Houston.
Zach Wilson stats today
By most measures, Wilson had the most efficient performance of his career on Sunday against the Texans. He finished 27 of 36 for 301 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.
It was Wilson’s third career 300-yard game, but the previous two were both largely inefficient performances with less than 52 percent of passes completed in both. This time, Wilson completed 75 percent of his pass attempts and secured a rare blowout win for the Jets.
Wilson’s 117.9 passer rating was easily the highest single-game mark of his career, breaking the career-high he set in the Jets’ loss to the Chiefs earlier this season.
Wilson averaged 8.4 yards per pass attempt, the fifth-highest mark of his three-year career.
While the Jets scored all 30 of their points in the second half, the signs of progress were present in the first half. Wilson flashed a connection with Garrett Wilson and sustained drives better than he has for most of the season, but New York wasn’t able to finish. In the second half, it all came together as the Jets found rare red zone success.
Welcome back, Zach Wilson.pic.twitter.com/6Sgho4KXak
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 10, 2023
Wilson was 18 of 21 for 209 yards and two touchdowns in the second half as the Jets tailored their offense to be far less conservative after entering the locker room in a scoreless tie. At 4-8, it made sense to let Wilson take some chances. The 24-year-old rewarded the offensive staff for taking that risk with the best half of his NFL career.
Robert Saleh announced Wilson as the Jets’ starter just a few days earlier, after reports that the quarterback was hesitant to return to the starting role due to injury risk. Even if his future isn’t with the Jets, a strong finish to the season could be transformative for Wilson’s long-term future in the league.
