Since Zach Wilson’s rookie season, Jets head coach Robert Saleh has repeated a phrase in some form in regard to the quarterback’s play: “Sometimes it’s OK to be boring.”
Too often during Wilson’s NFL career, now in its third year, he’s been the opposite of boring — and not with good results.
As Wilson readies himself to be the Jets’ starting QB once again this week against Houston, Saleh had a different message.
“You know what, with Zach, it’s always been to let it go, and it’s mainly just have confidence, believe what you see, just let the ball go and I’ve always had confidence in him,’’ Saleh said Friday. “He’s done it before. He’s done it in stretches, and he just has to have faith in his ability to play at a high level early because he can do it. The good thing about him is he does get better as the game goes on. But just have faith and just let it rip and have fun playing football.”
It’s been a while since Wilson has been able to do that.
Wilson has started nine games so far this season and has thrown six touchdowns and seven interceptions, the same numbers he put up in nine starts a year ago.
When asked about the apparent contradiction when it comes to being “boring” rather than having Wilson “let it rip,” Saleh was careful in his response.
“Let me make sure I say this right away,’’ Saleh said. “It doesn’t mean that you don’t take what the defense gives you when it’s available. It’s finding that balance of when things are available. It’s just to play a little bit faster, have faith that the first 15 [plays], there’s going to be things open and if there’s not, it’s OK to say, ‘No, faster,’ instead of waiting. It’s just, ‘Let your mind go, let your arm rip,’ but [also] playing within the construct of the scheme — but not trying to be a hero at the same time. I don’t know if that all makes sense to you guys.”
Told that was a difficult combination, Saleh said, “The quarterback position is hard, but he gets it.”
The key, Saleh said, was to find “the fine line between hero ball and boring ball.”
“It’s playing fast,’’ the head coach said. “It’s, ‘The faster you play, the freer you’ll play’ and so as he plays faster, he showcases his arm talent, he showcases his athleticism. A lot of that has to do with confidence within himself, within the call, within his teammates, and just that idea to play for one another and play fast.”
Time will tell if better results will follow.
Garrett Wilson, who has seen Wilson struggle this year — and also has seen four different quarterbacks throw passes this season — said Friday he was “100 percent confident” in the move back to Zach Wilson under center.
“I didn’t really have much of a reaction,” Garrett Wilson said. “We’re trying to figure some things out and trying to gain some traction on offense. Things happen, making changes is what you do.”
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