How Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson plans to use bye week to improve his play

Zach Wilson expects more from himself.

Wilson understands Robert Saleh comparing him to quarterbacks who struggled their rookie seasons and found success later. Wilson said Saleh has mentioned it to him as well. But Wilson still expects more from himself.

"I don’t want to feel like I have to make an excuse for myself for why I’m not getting the job done," Wilson said during a Zoom call Tuesday. "I understand that. I understand it’s a process and having perspective. But I have also a high expectation for myself for what I feel of my ability and my ability to make plays."

The Jets are 1-4 and Wilson is leading one of the worst offenses in football.

They are last in scoring, the only team with no first-quarter points and have gotten in the end zone just once in the first half all season. Wilson has thrown four touchdown passes, a league-high nine interceptions and has a passer rating of 62.9 — the lowest of 32 starting quarterbacks.

"My expectation for myself is to do better than this," Wilson said.

On Monday, Saleh said Wilson’s stats are almost identical to Buffalo’s MVP candidate Josh Allen the first five games of his rookie season, and that with experience Wilson will keep rising.

"I understand that Josh Allen has gotten really good with being able to get more reps and getting used to the NFL game," Wilson said. "He’s super-talented and a very confident player. I know that time will come for me. I Just need to keep working it, getting better and of course I need to be patient. But I have high expectations for myself."

The Jets are in their bye week. They return next week and play the Patriots in Foxborough. It sounds as if the bye couldn’t have come at a better time for Wilson.

He admitted it would be "good to get away from football for a little bit." Though he won’t be totally away from it. Wilson will fly back to the West Coast, spend time with his family and also get some work in with his personal quarterbacks coach John Beck.

"I’m excited to work on some of the things I feel like I can clean up," Wilson said. "I’m going to watch the first five games of the season, see what things I really want to put an emphasis on and clear my mind and spend time with the family and be ready to come back and get after it next week."

Wilson has flashed at times, showing the arm strength and talent that made him the No. 2 overall pick. But he also has made some really poor throws, particularly short passes or what would appear to be easy ones to open receivers.

"I got a lot I’m learning every single week," Wilson said. "I’m always putting my mind on new things I need to learn. With that sometimes comes being a little bit robotic. I think sometimes that’s how those throws come out. I’m aiming them. I got to just throw it, rip it, kind of like I do in the second half when we have those big plays down the field."

The time away might be good for Wilson. But he hasn’t lost the trust or confidence of some of his veteran teammates.

Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins believes that Wilson will "continue to lead this franchise in a great direction." Center Connor McGovern said Wilson "has the makings to be a really special quarterback."

"Everybody believes in him," McGovern said. "The coolest thing I think about Zach is he doesn’t let anything affect his confidence. In my career I’ve seen young QBs get their confidence rocked and never come back. He knows he can go out and make the plays that are required to win the football game.

"The Jets organization and fan base every week can expect bigger and better things from Zach, and a guy that’s going to be around for a long time making spectacular plays."