Zach Wilson comes alive late to propel Jets past Giants
The Jets' Zach Wilson throws a pass in the second half against the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Things looked bleak for the Jets and for Zach Wilson when he was sacked on fourth down with less than 90 seconds remaining. But the defense gave Wilson another chance.
He took it and showed that he’s a different quarterback than he was a year ago.
The Jets pulled out a 13-10 overtime win over the Giants on Sunday afternoon, a victory that would not have happened if Wilson had not grown and developed as a quarterback.
“The last drive was Zach being at his best when we needed his best,” receiver Garrett Wilson said. “That’s the true measure of greatness. He made every play on that drive.”
That last drive was the final one in regulation. The Jets had stopped the Giants on a third-and-3 and Graham Gano missed a 35-yard field goal with 24 seconds left. The Jets (4-3) took over at their own 25 with no timeouts remaining, and Zach Wilson felt confident.
“Absolutely no waver in belief there at all, including me,” he said. “Didn’t doubt at all. When I saw our defense got a stop down there, it was ‘24 seconds, no problem.’ ”
Questions would have resurfaced about Wilson’s ability to lead the Jets had he not lifted his team in this spot.
Up to that point, he was 14-for-30 passing for 171 yards with a touchdown pass and two fumbles lost. The Jets didn’t convert their first 13 third downs. It wasn’t all on Wilson, but the lion’s share would have been put on him.
“Still trying to figure out how we won,” receiver Allen Lazard said.
On first down with 24 seconds left, Wilson threw a bullet across the middle to Garrett Wilson for 29 yards. It was a free play because Kayvon Thibodeaux jumped offsides. The penalty — which was declined by the Jets — stopped the clock with 17 seconds left.
On the ensuing play, Wilson was chased from the pocket. He scrambled right and hit Lazard for another 29-yard gain to the Giants’ 17.
The Jets, however, were running out of time. They hurried to the line and Wilson spiked the ball with one second left.
Greg Zuerlein’s 35-yard field goal tied the score at 10 with no time remaining, and he kicked the winning 33-yarder in overtime.
“Everybody asks how has he been, has he been more confident in the huddle?” tight end Tyler Conklin said of Wilson. “That’s a prime example of it.
“Things weren’t going right for us as a unit. It was nasty out. When it came down to it at the end of the game and we had to make some big plays, he made it happen.”
Spiking the ball was another sign of how Wilson and the offense have learned from previous mistakes. In a similar situation at the end of the half in Denver on Oct. 8, they couldn’t line up to spike it in time.
“We understood the urgency,” Robert Saleh said. “One thing about them is when you correct it, they will get it right. The urgency to get it spiked with one second left was freakin’ awesome.”
The Giants got the ball to start overtime, but a 10-yard holding penalty on first down killed their drive.
The Jets overmatched Giants third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito, who replaced Tyrod Taylor after he left with a rib injury.
After the penalty, DeVito threw two screen passes to Saquon Barkley for minus-1 yards and had an incomplete pass on third down.
“That’s the beautiful thing about it. You can play like that and have a chance to win the game at the end of it because of our defense,” Garrett Wilson said. “They keep us in every game. We feel like we’re letting them down sometimes.”
They didn’t in overtime.
Zach Wilson was able to keep the Jets’ drive alive on third-and-10. He released the ball just before getting hit and completed a pass to Garrett Wilson for 11 yards at midfield.
Three plays later, Wilson threw a deep pass to Malik Taylor, but Adoree’ Jackson made contact too early and was called for pass interference, giving the Jets a first down at the Giants’ 15 to set up the winning field goal.
“I like the direction Zach’s going,” Saleh said. “He’s got so much resilience and fight that he doesn’t lose confidence as the game goes on. He gains confidence. Eventually it’s going to click and it’s going to click for the offense.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
