Zach Wilson has tried to keep the ship afloat in Aaron Rodgers’ absence, but the Jets are going with a new captain this week in veteran QB Tim Boyle
With the Jets’ postseason hopes somewhat fading, head coach Robert Saleh has made the switch at quarterback, benching former first-round pick Zach Wilson in favor of 29-year-old third-stringer Tim Boyle. The veteran will take the snaps when the team faces off with the Miami Dolphins on Black Friday.
This decision comes after Saleh sat down Wilson in the third quarter of last week’s terrible 32-6 loss to division rival Buffalo. Now sitting at 4-6, the Jets are simply trying to stay in contention long enough for the anticipated return of Rodgers sometime late in the year. If the team has a shot to make a postseason run, the 39-year-old star has vowed to be back on the field by the end of the season.
In the meantime, Zach Wilson has attempted to hold things together, without a lot of success. As the second-overall pick in 2021 out of BYU, the youngster has fallen short of expectations. And while it may still be too early to call him a total bust, he hasn’t done enough for Saleh to have a lot of confidence in him right here, and right now.
After relieving Wilson against the Patriots, Boyle went a respectable 7-for-13 with 33 yards passing. He didn’t throw a touchdown and tossed a cheap interception. So nothing overwhelming – but the Jets pulled the pin on the grenade anyway.
For his part, Wilson took the benching last week in stride. He told the media that he understood the situation was dire in New York right now, and that he was a part of the situation.
“When things aren’t getting done, change has to be made, and I understand that,” Zach Wilson told the media following the game.
The Dolphins (7-3) travel to East Rutherford on Friday as the division leader in the AFC East. A win over Miami and their dynamic offense will be a tall order for Boyle. Since entering the league as an undrafted rookie in 2018, the former Eastern Kentucky QB has played sparingly. He’s only thrown three touchdowns against three interceptions in his career, and he’s 0-3 as a starter in his NFL career.
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