Jets players open up about stunning Zach Wilson performance

New York Jets players spoke with reporters on Monday about quarterback Zach Wilson enjoying what head coach Robert Saleh called "by far the best game of his career" in Sunday's 30-6 home win over the Houston Texans. 

"Feel like that pressure that he’s been carrying just didn’t seem to be there," veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb said about Wilson, per Ben Krimmel of SNY. "And it was nice to see him just [being] loose and free and having fun, go out there and slinging it around." 

Saleh and star wide receiver Garrett Wilson both previously noted that Zach Wilson embraced a "f--- it" mentality after Saleh sat the 24-year-old during the Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills and after the third-year pro served as a benched spectator across back-to-back games. Against Houston, Zach Wilson completed 27-of-36 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns to help the Jets improve to 5-8. 

Injured Week 1 starter Aaron Rodgers may or may not try to return from the torn Achilles he suffered on Sept. 11 for New York's Week 16 home game against the Washington Commanders (4-9) on Christmas Eve. For now, Zach Wilson is on track to remain atop the depth chart for this coming Sunday's contest at the Miami Dolphins. 

9-3 Miami welcomes the 4-8 Tennessee Titans to Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night. 

It was reported last Monday that Zach Wilson was reluctant to start for the Jets again after he was benched for a third time since November 2022. Jets guard Laken Tomlinson said on Monday that the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft showed "how much he’s developed as a person, as a man, as a professional" with how Wilson reacted following the story published on Dec. 4. 

"Thought he handled things well," Tomlinson added. "Came out last week juiced up, ready for practice, motivating guys in the locker room. And it showed. He fought for us. We fought for him too." 

As of Monday afternoon, oddschecker listed the Jets as 11.5-point underdogs against the Dolphins. At that same time, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the Jets a 0.4% chance to make the playoffs. 

"And from the start to the finish, you just saw his confidence with the play-calling, with him throwing the ball, when he tucked it and got out of the pocket, he wasn’t second-guessing himself," Jets linebacker and team captain C.J. Mosley said about Wilson. "He got the ball to his playmakers and when the ball's in their hands, they made plays." 

Wilson could be on the trade block this winter and may lose the starting job to Rodgers as soon as next Monday. Miami crushed the Jets 34-13 back on Black Friday, and Gang Green should have no reason to play Rodgers over Wilson through Week 18 if the club falls to the Dolphins this Sunday.