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The Jacksonville Jaguars control their own destiny in the AFC South and made a loud statement during Thursday’s win over the New York Jets.
But it wasn’t as loud as the boos the Big Apple fans greeted quarterback Zach Wilson with throughout the game.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh benched Wilson in the third quarter after he went 9-of-18 for 92 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception while being sacked three times. Yet that won’t spell the end of the playing time for the No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft.
“We haven’t seen the last of him,” Saleh told reporters when discussing Wilson following the ugly 19-3 loss.
Chris Streveler, who has never started a game in the NFL, came in for Wilson and proved to be more of a threat to Jacksonville’s defense with 90 passing yards and 54 rushing yards. He moved New York to the Jacksonville 12-yard line on his first drive before the team turned it over on downs.
Saleh explained there was a plan in place to perhaps get Streveler in the game regardless of Wilson’s performance:
New York Jets @nyjets
Coach Saleh on looking for a spark by inserting Chris Streveler at QB. pic.twitter.com/z6G2fwTRkZ
Surely, nobody envisioned this though when the Jets selected Wilson when they did in the 2021 NFL draft. He is supposed to be the franchise quarterback, and he is instead getting benched in a must-win game for someone who is better known for his accomplishments in the Canadian Football League.
Wilson was already benched earlier this season for Mike White, although he was back under center the past two games because the latter suffered a rib injury.
The second-year signal-caller appeared to take a step back after throwing for 317 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a loss to the Detroit Lions last week. The weather played something of a role, but Trevor Lawrence tallied 280 total yards and a touchdown for the Jaguars in that same weather.
Now the Jets are 7-8 and in last place in the AFC East.
The playoffs likely aren’t going to happen, but the organization has bigger questions after a lackluster showing from the supposed franchise quarterback.