Zach Wilson Entering Year Two, Sophomore Slump?

gmf1369

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Sophomore quarterbacks in the NFL is known as the trial year that most signal callers fail to rise to the challenge. Can Zach Wilson be that exception for and with the Jets? Some say no, but let me take you back to his rookie season where he basically had two different halves of the season. He started out playing hero ball because of the lack of protection given by certain individuals on the offensive line unable to execute their responsibilities correctly. Some would frown down on this statement but for Zach his best thing that happened to him he got hurt. Why say best thing, well he got to witness not one but three quarterbacks be successful in the system designed by LaFleur. Things started bad with the passing of Greg Knap may he rest in peace, wonderful soul taken way to early from us. But let’s get back to Zach he got to watch and learn what he could do and how to execute the game plan. He finally returned and played exceptionally well with some sputters of confidence along the way but in the end he was efficient.

This year is technically his second year but from an outside look some could say it is his third stint with the team since being drafted. This past off season he stacked muscle and plain n simple got bigger to sustain the rigorous trials of an NFL season. Getting hurt in his rookie season put things into perspective. Now heading into year two can he continue his second half of his rookie season and if he can along with a rejuvenated receiving core along with some studs at tight end and a stacked backfield not to mention a revamped offensive line skies the limit for the sophomore quarterback.

Looking back at some story lines of last year people do not take into count for his struggles. First off was protection, the protection was not consistent and forced him to have a happy feet then outside the pocket had no protection and yes as a rookie quarterback first thing they drill into you is not to hold onto the ball so long. The durability of the skill positions players did not help on the production of anyone of the four quarterbacks. In the end with a durability of roster near the end of the season Wilson was able to showcase his potential limiting his turnovers while being efficient enough to put fear in defenses with his big arm. Not to mention Zach has shown ability to scamper, moving forward he should continue being a dual threat under center.

This year with a full compliment in the back field in Mike Carter, and second round pick Breece Hall the Jets running game should be the staple of the offense allowing Zach to be more of a facilitator with capability to take deep shots with the vertical passing game. A healthy Elijah Moore add in security blanket of Braxton Berrios and the return mentally clear Corey Davis expect the Jets to be able to push the ball down the field. Throw in both Tyler Conklin and CJ Uzomah the Jets expectations are explosive on offense. Expect to see big numbers offensively, and a more efficient sophomore quarterback continuing his second half of his rookie campaign.
 

LRJets

First Round Tender
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While no team stood idly by, The Jets on paper show a talent improvement. Zach is in the system for a second year with a marked improvement by the OC and OL. What can be bad?.
Oh wait....nah they should be doubling to almost tripling their 2021 wins!!
Jets Reeeed.jpg
 

jetgreen13

founding JFU member..
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Can a sophomore slump be had when the freshman year was trash??
LOLz that's a fair question..

i'm hopeful if not super optimistic because wilson has the necessary talent & moxie but i do have (at least some) concerns about the pro game being too fast for him..

if the kid is a ball player i believe we start seeing big boy football in year 2..

take flight!!
 

TebowCan'tThrow

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LOLz that's a fair question..

i'm hopeful if not super optimistic because wilson has the necessary talent & moxie but i do have (at least some) concerns about the pro game being too fast for him..

if the kid is a ball player i believe we start seeing big boy football in year 2..

take flight!!
Definitely hope so. Just keep building the team and then draft his replacement next if he doesn't take a giant leap forward.
 

jets82

Curious George
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There have been a few QBs that played phenomenal or at least pretty well during their second season. Joe Burrow just last year for one. Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Dan Marino, John Elway, Tom Brady and Justin Herbert to name a few. Hell, even Baker Mayfield had a pretty good second season.

No reason why Zach can’t do it either. Especially with this team he has around him.
 
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SackExchange

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I feel as though on one hand, we hear about how QBs are supposed to make the big jump from rookie year to year 2, and on the other we hear about the dreaded sophomore slump.
 

Innocenti

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Some thoughts:
One of the mistakes made with Wilson last season was throwing the entire playbook at him instead giving it to him incrementally.
Sam Darnold, Blake Bortles, Kyler Murray, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow improved in their second seasons.
The defense is ahead of the offense.
I expect Wilson to improve but throw more ints. The 5-game streak last season was an anomaly.
 

jetgreen13

founding JFU member..
Jet Fanatics
Some thoughts:
One of the mistakes made with Wilson last season was throwing the entire playbook at him instead giving it to him incrementally.
Sam Darnold, Blake Bortles, Kyler Murray, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow improved in their second seasons.
The defense is ahead of the offense.
I expect Wilson to improve but throw more ints. The 5-game streak last season was an anomaly.
your cards are already on the table on wilson.. fair enough.. mine are not but i won't bull **** you saying i'm not concerned with the interceptions..
 

Innocenti

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your cards are already on the table on wilson.. fair enough.. mine are not but i won't bull **** you saying i'm not concerned with the interceptions..
Here's the thing, the streak at the end of the season wasn't that impressive. Yes he threw 0 ints. But he only threw 3 TD passes, about a 55% completion percentage, had a 1-4 record and the team scored 16.6 points per game. I'd rather see more ints if they came with more TDs and a respectable completion percentage. Of coure I'm concerned with ints in camp. But I don't expect him to be the next Mark Sanchez.
 

jetgreen13

founding JFU member..
Jet Fanatics
Here's the thing, the streak at the end of the season wasn't that impressive. Yes he threw 0 ints. But he only threw 3 TD passes, about a 55% completion percentage, had a 1-4 record and the team scored 16.6 points per game. I'd rather see more ints if they came with more TDs and a respectable completion percentage. Of coure I'm concerned with ints in camp. But I don't expect him to be the next Mark Sanchez.
that impressive?? i agree i was never on that train either.. lafleur dialed it back a bunch to slow the game down for wilson.. then he was able to mix in some big boy throws as a result while taking better care of the ball..

LOLz i still love sanchez for being part of that almost magic carpet ride..
 

TebowCan'tThrow

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Some thoughts:
One of the mistakes made with Wilson last season was throwing the entire playbook at him instead giving it to him incrementally.
Sam Darnold, Blake Bortles, Kyler Murray, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow improved in their second seasons.
The defense is ahead of the offense.
I expect Wilson to improve but throw more ints. The 5-game streak last season was an anomaly.
If that 5 game stretch has 10 TD's and zero INT's I would feel much better, but to me it was just the coaching staff emphasizing no turnovers. That also meant taking no risks.
 

Seaver41

Pro Bowl 1st Team
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BEST thing about 2021 was the full playbook being thrown at him......and the most encouraging thing I've heard about Zach so far is he is playing faster.....minimizing the hesitancy plays. That leads to holding ball less - and will lead to both bigger plays and some INTs. Growing that will still need to be done is pre-snap reads so that those quicker decisions are sound. I look at Josh Allen as a comparison in where they came from less than stacked college competition and then thrown into the fire. NO QB enters the league ready, but some are better prepared than others and can get off to faster starts - ie Mac Jones. I have zero doubt Zach continues to improve.

On INTs.......I want him to throw some and some are not necessarily by design, but the residue of seeing what he can and cannot get away with.........so don't get too caught up in each one until the games count.
 

gastineau

Transition Tagged
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Lmao, soph slump? Really? Thousands of comedians out of work and your on this Jets board with this crap? I think its a break out season for Zach and how good depends on how well rookie WRs learn quickly. I really wanted a great Vet WR that KC and Bills got for their rookie QB to speed up his growth at QB.
 
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