Confident Zach Wilson believes Jets' offense is close to playing a good game

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – No quarterback has taken more hits this season than Zach Wilson has on and off the field. But the Jets rookie isn’t letting it get to him.

Wilson is relying on his process of working hard and watching video. He believes that he and the Jets’ offense are close to playing a good game.

"Mentally, I feel good," Wilson said after practice Wednesday. "I feel really good. I feel confident. Besides everything else I feel like watching the tape and going through things, I feel like it’s really close. I feel like we’re really close as an offense."

The Jets are 0-3 for the third-straight year and are struggling more offensively than last season, when they finished last in total offense and points scored.

Wilson hasn’t led a touchdown drive in two games and didn’t produce a single scoring drive in last week's shutout loss in Denver. But Wilson said the Jets put that ugly performance behind them Monday afternoon and started preparing for Sunday’s game against the Titans.

"I knew this was going to be tough for us because it’s our first time altogether, first time in a new offense, and there’s going to be some adjusting," Wilson said. "But as long as we take those losses as a learning experience and every single week we just keep stacking the bricks and keep getting better, then I think we’re going to be right on track to where we need to be."

Wilson couldn’t have imagined it would be this tough.

He’s been sacked 15 times, more than any quarterback this season. His seven interceptions are tied with rookie Trevor Lawrence, taken one pick ahead of Wilson in the draft. His passer rating of 51.6 ranks 33rd for quarterbacks.

But the Jets’ offense has a number of issues that go beyond Wilson. His receivers dropped four passes Sunday, and the Jets haven’t broken 45 rushing yards in two of their three games.

"I think he’s doing a tremendous job of just bouncing back as a young player," veteran right tackle Morgan Moses said. "It’s not his fault. We have a lot of things that we have to clean up on the offensive line and all over."

Receiver Corey Davis has been impressed with Wilson’s attitude through this adversity.

"He’s staying confident, he’s staying poised," Davis said. "It’s not really getting to him the way that most would think. He’s a good kid. He has a good head on his shoulders. We just got to ignore the noise and focus on us."

Wilson admits he’s overthinking his throws and he needs to do a better job of getting rid of the ball quicker or throwing it away. That would eliminate some of the sacks he’s taken and maybe some picks.

Robert Saleh said Wilson is so competitive and confident that he doesn’t want to "let a play die." He did it at BYU and more often than not, he made a play.

But Saleh outlined one from Sunday when Wilson was sacked by Von Miller on third-and-11 from the 32. Saleh said Wilson should have thrown it to his checkdown and got some of the yardage back and play the field position game instead of taking an 8-yard loss.

"What he’s got to learn is the league is a little bit different and that it’s OK, just because you take something doesn’t make you any less competitive," Saleh said. "You’re just being smart. When there’s an opportunity to gut the defense, you pull out your knife and you gut the defense.

"At this point he’s going through that learning phase with regards to progression and getting off the explosive play and just taking what the defense gives him."

Saleh said he’s seeing improvements in Wilson, but he has to trust his footwork, eye placement and progression within the offense.

"Even though people haven't seen the improvement, we're seeing the improvement for him," Saleh said. "Now he’s just got to go show the world. We’re excited about the direction he’s going in and eventually, it’s going to pop."