The New York Jets team played more offensive starters in the game against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday’s matchup than they did in the Hall of Fame Game against the Cleveland Browns on August 3. The move brought about a positive outcome as the Jets secured victory against the Panthers and the team’s star for the game Zach Wilson put on a first-class performance.
The Green Bay Packers’ former star Aaron Rodgers’ debut in the Big Apple will likely be delayed as Robert Saleh held him out for the second straight preseason game. Meanwhile, Rodgers’ backup quarterback Wilson might continue his mission to earn a potential starter position in the team following A-Rod’s retirement in the future.
Zach Wilson talks about his performance vs Panthers
Wilson recorded 14 of 20 passes for 123 yards along with a touchdown as well as completed 70% of his throws with a 102.7 quarterback rating. Following the game, he discussed his comfort in playing that kind of defense.
“I felt like I was comfortable. Some good and some things I want to keep working on … This is one of those defenses that plays soft in their shells and makes you take the easy ones underneath.”
Zach Wilson final stat line in #Jets Panthers game:
💥 14/20 (that's a 70% comp rate 👀)
💥 123 yards
💥 1 TD
💥 0 INT
💥 102.7 passer rating pic.twitter.com/kXmWoagU4Y— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) August 12, 2023
The third-year quarterback revealed his mindset behind such a performance saying he was focusing on the assisting offense by getting the ball in their favor.
“I was just trying to get the ball out of my hands quickly. That was kind of my goal today. How can I get the ball out efficiently and help the O line out that way? The run after catch … you can see when you get the ball in some of those guys’ hands, they can really do something with it. So, that was the goal for me.”
The youngster also reminisced about his two years in the league and expressed gratitude for all the ups and downs throughout this short journey.
Jets vs Panthers match overview
The Jets squad outgained Carolina 189-32 in the first half. One of the outstanding moments from the matchup was a second-and-goal with only 12 seconds remaining in the half when Zach faked the handoff to Israel Abanikanda before rolling out to his left and completing a touchdown toss to Kenny Yeboah with the defense flowing to the right, putting Gang Green up 13–0 at the half.
New York’s rookie Israel Abanikanda recorded 37 yards on six carries along with a 26-yard burst up while their third-stringer Tim Boyle completed 9 of 10 for 84 yards. The Jets had five sacks in the game before winning it 27-0. Meanwhile, the Panthers’ No. 1 Draft pick Bryce Young failed to showcase his charm by recording only 4 of 6 passes for 21 yards.
Saleh‘s team will now return to New Jersey to attend joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. They are set to play with the Bucs at MetLife Stadium on Saturday.
