New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) reacts against the New England Patriots during an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger) (Adam Hunger, AP)
David versus Goliath at MetLife Stadium on Sunday?
Not entirely, as the 5-3 Jets will host arguably the best team in the NFL, the 6-1 Bills. But it does have a vibe that no one is giving Gang Green much chance to win this game as they’re 12.5-point underdogs.
All year long, fans of other teams have complained about how the Jets have gotten all the breaks. How the Green and White have played backup quarterbacks in wins against the Browns, Dolphins and Broncos.
Sunday is a chance to show the naysayer that the Jets are a legitimate playoff contender. Especially after letting last weekend’s game against the Patriots slip away.
“You can’t get too high, you can’t get too low,” Jets defensive lineman Vinny Curry told the Daily News about the game against the Bills. “It is the most game because it’s the next one.
“It’s a division game, so that’s the only thing that’s going to be on our mind. It is our next game, it is a division game and we have a challenge ahead.”
One player who is looking for a bounce-back performance is Jets quarterback Zach Wilson. Following a string of three consecutive games of not turning the ball over, Wilson looked very much like a rookie against the Patriots.
Wilson completed 20 of 41 passes for 355 yards, two touchdowns, but he threw three interceptions in the 22-17 loss to New England. The turnovers proved to be costly as the Patriots converted them into 10 points, which was the difference in a close game.
Throughout the week, Wilson faced criticism like he had never dealt with since he was drafted by the Jets in 2021, from analysts telling Wilson to grow up to talk the team is coddling and overprotecting him.
Despite the Jets’ four-game winning streak prior to the game against the Patriots, Wilson’s decision-making was questionable to say the least. He was throwing passes into coverage, running backward when he didn’t have to and not seeing the entire field.
In his five games since returning from a knee injury he suffered during the preseason, Wilson has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. He is thrown for 1,048 yards, three touchdowns, five interceptions and ranks 34th in completion percentage (54.9) and 24th in QBR (41.7)
Now Wilson will face one of the biggest challenges of his career. Not only will he be looking to put last weekend’s performance behind him, but Wilson will face a Bills defense that is first in the NFL in points allowed [14.0] and third in yards allowed per game (298.1).
“These guys are good, but we’re good,” Wilson said. “We’re a good team.
“We’re close, and things are getting closer every week. I think for us, it’s going out there and taking on the challenge of understanding that we can beat these guys.
“We just got to go out there and execute. Execution is the key.”
Before the beginning of the season, the Jets coaches made it a mission to point to make the players aware of their 12 games losing streak within the division.
The Jets finally ended that drought on Oct. 9 with their 41-17 victory against the Dolphins. But after leading 10-6 at halftime against the Patriots, the Jets let a chance to win another divisional game slip away.
At 5-3, the Jets very much remain in the AFC playoff hunt. If the postseason started today, Gang Green would be the fifth seed in the AFC.
The Jets have certainly shown they’re a better team than last year. Now can they win a game against an opponent that no one expects them to beat? Saleh has stressed the importance of closing the gap inside the AFC East.
An upset victory against the Bills will show this Jets team has finally arrived.
“We always feel like the ultimate measuring stick is ourselves,” Saleh said.
“Every week you play in the NFL, there is so much parity that every game is a measuring stick. It’s not necessarily a measuring stick against your opponents, it’s a measuring stick against yourself and what can you do better than the day before, if you will.
“You have to have that mindset. You can’t make one team bigger than the other, otherwise, you’re going to create inconsistency in the way you play. For us, the challenge is to go out there, and you’re really measuring yourself against you.
“If you are better than you were the day before, then you feel like it’ll be good enough. So, in regards to a measuring stick, it’s always about us.”
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Originally published at Tribune News Service