Some BYU and Zach Wilson fans are SHOCKED as Jets struggle under Aaron Rodgers
I’ll admit to my bias right out of the gate: I am a Zach Wilson apologist.
And with my blue-tinted BYU glasses on I will also say this right out of the gate: It only took two games for the New York Jets to make Aaron Rodgers become Zach Wilson.
During Rodgers’ brief time with the New York Jets, including his 2023 season that consisted of four snaps before his shoddy offensive line gave up a sack that resulted in a torn Achilles tendon, the future Hall of Famer is 13-of-22 (59%) for just 167 yards with one touchdown, one interception, and two sacks.
In a very tiny sample size, Aaron Rodgers’ performance thus far as a New York Jet mimics the type of production the franchise received out of Zach Wilson before driving him out of town on a rail.
I will go to my grave believing the former BYU great might have been a solid NFL starter today had practically any other organization picked him instead of the dysfunctional New York Jets. Almost any young quarterback would have suffered in the circumstances Zach experienced in New York given the team’s coaching changes, weak game plans, porous offensive line, media scrutiny, and fickle fan base.
Through two games with the Jets, Aaron Rodgers is struggling, too.
While Zach clearly contributed to his dismal performance by occasionally slowly analyzing reads and holding on to the ball too long, those are normal issues for inexperienced NFL quarterbacks. Competent NFL clubs surround young, growing quarterbacks with pieces to help them improve, like a competent offensive line and reasonably straightforward game plans. The Jets failed Zach Wilson in practically every way.
New York Jets v Miami Dolphins
When Aaron Rodgers landed in New York last year he was feted like a conquering hero. After all, the general attitude of some media members and New York fans that the only reason the Jets aren’t the reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champions today is because of Zach Wilson.
Right?
Well, as Aaron Rodgers may say, when it comes to critiquing Zach Wilson’s tenure with the Jets his naysayers might simply want to R-E-L-A-X.
Now, Rodgers’ talent and abilities are in an entirely other stratosphere than those of a young Zach Wilson. A-Rod is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. It wouldn’t be unexpected to see him adjust to his new team, profit from a vastly strengthened offensive line (something the team FINALLY did only after moving Zach), play less difficult defenses than the San Francisco 49ers, and put up pretty huge numbers this year. But many BYU fans, myself included, are hopeful that the dysfunction that hindered Zach Wilson rubs off on a Jets offense now being led by a future Hall of Famer.
In doing so, BYU fans aren’t wishing ill upon Aaron Rodgers. Cougar fans simply want Jets fans and the national media to see that the team’s troubles over the last couple of seasons weren’t primarily due to Zach Wilson’s faults. The Jets mediocrity over the past couple of years were mostly related to a failing organization as a whole.
Atlanta Falcons against New York Jets
And the narrative of transferring the blame away from the Jets quarterback to the club itself has already begun.
After Rodgers’ less-than-stellar Monday Night Football performance the national media has started placing fingers at everything surrounding the Jets quarterback instead of at the guy himself. Here are a handful of the quotes from Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports:
“The 40-year-old signal-caller hit Allen Lazard squarely in the hands, but the veteran receiver dropped the ball, resulting in a Jets punt.”
“While Rodgers threw an interception in this loss, it’s hard to pin the turnover solely on the four-time MVP. Yes, Rodgers faced pressure in a collapsing pocket and forced the ball in a narrow window to (Garrett) Wilson, but the ball bounced squarely into the arms of Niners defender Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles in what was a stroke of difficult luck.”
“After failing to convert on third-and-1, the Jets kept the offense on the field trying to cut into the 29-13 lead. Rodgers dropped back and had Wilson over the middle for the convert, but seemed to throw the ball a touch behind him, allowing a 49ers defender to impede the attempt. The consequence was a turnover on downs.”
Man, Zach Wilson apologists like me hope the former No. 2 overall choice would have been afforded this amount of mercy by the national media throughout his spotty career in New York. The way Sullivan writes about Rodgers’ experience versus the 49ers is how BYU supporters have felt for three years defending Zach Wilson:
“That ball hit the receiver right in the hands and he dropped it!”
“Zach’s facing constant pressure and collapsing pockets!”
“That interception can’t be pinned solely on Zach!”
“That was just bad luck!”
“That throw was a pretty decent throw but was just a touch behind the receiver.”
When it was Zach Wilson behind center, the feeble Jets offense was a Zach Wilson problem. Now that Aarond Rodgers is in control, any offensive inadequacies will be a Jets problem.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – Western Michigan v BYU
Many BYU fans like me will be closely studying the New York Jets this season to see if the offense still sputters while being guided by a Hall of Fame quarterback. Zach Wilson has gone on to the Denver Broncos and left the Jets in his past, but it could take dedicated Cougar supporters a little longer to leave New York in our rear view mirrors considering the way they handled BYU’s former quarterback.
