After an impressive preseason, Jets QB Zach Wilson had a slow start to his first NFL regular-season game in the team's 19-14 loss. Wilson completed 6 of 16 in the first half and threw an interception as the offense totaled 82 yards. But Wilson battled and showed some encouraging signs in the final 30 minutes while throwing for a pair of touchdowns to Corey Davis.
Wilson and the offense crossed midfield twice in the first two quarters, the first time coming after Wilson and Corey Davis connected for a 35-yard catch-and-run that put the offense on their 46-yard line. Three plays later, however, Wilson threw his first NFL interception as Panthers LB Shaq Thompson corralled the rookie's pass intended for TE Ryan Griffin.
The offense found the end zone right before the end of the third quarter as Wilson scrambled right and fired a 22-yard pass to Davis, who was wide open. The rookie signal-caller then kept the ball off a fake handoff for the 2-point conversion to cut the Panthers' lead in half, 16-8.
Trailing by 11 late, Wilson led a 93-yard scoring possession that culminated with a 8-yard rope to Davis. The former Titan had 5 catches for 97 yards Sunday while Wilson finished 20 of 37 for 258 yards with the 2 scores and 1 INT.
Wilson and the Jets may have suffered a big loss on the first TD. LT Mekhi Becton got rolled up and was carted off the field with a knee injury. The Green & White finished with George Fant at LT and Morgan Moses at RT.
Wilson was sacked five times and the Panthers' defense recorded 10 QB hits.
"There are a lot of things involved in protection and we have to get better," first-year head coach Robert Saleh said after the game. "I'm not going to blame the offensive line. There were a lot of breakdowns in the first half, but there were issues with route running, the QB getting rid of the ball and dropped balls."
For his part, Wilson said that while he took the hits, Carolina's defense deserves credit.
"They have good rushers up front," he said. "Our O-line is going to go back and do their thing and make it work."
Wilson and the offense crossed midfield twice in the first two quarters, the first time coming after Wilson and Corey Davis connected for a 35-yard catch-and-run that put the offense on their 46-yard line. Three plays later, however, Wilson threw his first NFL interception as Panthers LB Shaq Thompson corralled the rookie's pass intended for TE Ryan Griffin.
The offense found the end zone right before the end of the third quarter as Wilson scrambled right and fired a 22-yard pass to Davis, who was wide open. The rookie signal-caller then kept the ball off a fake handoff for the 2-point conversion to cut the Panthers' lead in half, 16-8.
Trailing by 11 late, Wilson led a 93-yard scoring possession that culminated with a 8-yard rope to Davis. The former Titan had 5 catches for 97 yards Sunday while Wilson finished 20 of 37 for 258 yards with the 2 scores and 1 INT.
Wilson and the Jets may have suffered a big loss on the first TD. LT Mekhi Becton got rolled up and was carted off the field with a knee injury. The Green & White finished with George Fant at LT and Morgan Moses at RT.
Wilson was sacked five times and the Panthers' defense recorded 10 QB hits.
"There are a lot of things involved in protection and we have to get better," first-year head coach Robert Saleh said after the game. "I'm not going to blame the offensive line. There were a lot of breakdowns in the first half, but there were issues with route running, the QB getting rid of the ball and dropped balls."
For his part, Wilson said that while he took the hits, Carolina's defense deserves credit.
"They have good rushers up front," he said. "Our O-line is going to go back and do their thing and make it work."