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New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson didn’t have all the answers in his return to the starting lineup in Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, but head coach Robert Saleh isn’t interested in the "instant-coffee" rhetoric surrounding the struggling second-year signal caller.
Wilson, taking over in place of an injured Mike White, went 18 of 35 for 317 yards and two touchdowns, but a costly interception in the second quarter ultimately gave way to the Jets’ third straight loss.
Zach Wilson #2 of the New York Jets signals at the line of scrimmage against the Detroit Lions during the first half at MetLife Stadium on December 18, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
"Thought he had a really nice first half. Came out, we started a little bit slow in the third quarter. Really pumped for him, though, because in the past, when he hits a speed bump in a game, it kind of derails, but I thought he did a really good job of getting back on the rails and swinging back up in the fourth quarter to lead a touchdown drive," Saleh said of Wilson’s performance.
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"There’s some things that he definitely would want back, and like I said, it all happened in that third quarter, but credit to him, credit to the staff, they did a really nice job. He got back on track and finished strong."
Saleh did not say if White would return for Thursday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars but said he would still need to get cleared for contact as he continues to undergo further testing and evaluation.
"A lot of doctor talk, I’m not going to get into it here, but there’s more scans to see how much he’s healed. There was talk that they felt like a week could show some more healing — some callus, if you will — that will allow him to get on the field, but again, that’s something that he would have to get from another doctor and still be able to talk to our doctors about, too. So, there are a lot of hurdles he would have to go through."
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (91) collides with New York Jets quarterback Mike White (5) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
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Saleh was pressed further about the scrutiny surrounding Wilson, prompting him to preach patience.
"The frustrating thing is that this kid’s going to be a good quarterback. The NFL and this new instant-coffee world that we’re in just does not want to give people time. So, we look at him, and he is just nitpicked with a fine-tooth comb, everything he does, and rightfully so. It is what it is. He did a lot of really good things, so we’re going to try our best to focus on the things he did good and make sure that we kind of bring that to life, and we’ll continue to work on the things he needs to improve on."
Zach Wilson #2 of the New York Jets reacts after a game against the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium on December 18, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Sunday’s loss has now put the Jets’ playoff hopes in danger – New York must win its final three games of the season.
"We’ve got to go back and find a way to recapture what we were doing in the first half of the season over the next stretch of games and hopefully extend it," Saleh said Monday.
"It starts with Jacksonville. Quick turnaround, but we’ve got to find a way to finish in the fourth quarter."