After Aaron Rodgers’ injury, the Jets had no option but to put their trust in young Zach Wilson. However, two back-to-back defeats for the Jets have garnered Wilson much criticism. Recently, 2x Super Bowl champion Eli Manning had his say on what Zach needs to do to turn things around.
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During a recent appearance on First Take, Manning, while answering a query about Zach Wilson, advised the young quarterback to keep safe distance from the media. He urged Wilson to focus on self-assessment in order to improve his gameplay as that is the only way to shut the critics up.
“I Mean You Got to Self-Analyze”: Eli Manning on Zach Wilson’s Predicament
Several fans and experts have opined that Zach Wilson is not someone who can guide the Jets to regular victories. However, while reflecting on the same issue, Eli Manning provided an alternative viewpoint during an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take,” with Shannon Sharpe. Rather than advocating for Wilson’s removal, Manning advised the young signal-caller not to navigate through media scrutiny and engage in self-analysis of his performance.
Eli said, “I would just say don’t read the papers. Don’t be watching the TV and the broadcast, what everybody is saying. I mean, you got to self-analyze what’s going on. You got to look at the plays and understand your play. The playbook was put together for Aaron Rodgers.”
Further advising Wilson what he needs to do, Eli claimed, “Zach’s got to say, ‘What are my favorite plays? What are my eight completion plays? Where if you call these plays, I’m gonna be able to get a completion? It’s about (Wilson) taking control of what’s going on and how you get in a position where you can play better football.
In the same episode, Manning also strongly suggested offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to engage with Wilson to tailor the playbook to his strengths, similar to how he did for Aaron Rodgers. After all, in the legend’s own words, “perfection isn’t necessary, especially with a strong defense supporting the team.”
Amidst uncertainty surrounding the Jets’ final decision on Zach Wilson, reports suggest that they have signed experienced quarterback Trevor Siemian. Now, it will be interesting to see how many chances Zach gets as QB1 going forward.
Zach Wilson Has Been Facing a Lot of Criticism Lately
Jets fans are growing increasingly frustrated with Zach Wilson as their quarterback. Once harboring Super Bowl aspirations centered around Aaron Rodgers, the Jets now find themselves at a 1-2 record and still placing their future hopes on Wilson. Legendary Jets quarterback Joe Namath, typically calm, has expressed his discontent with present QB1, saying, ‘I wouldn’t keep him. I’ve seen enough of Zach Wilson,’ per the Seattle Times.
In fact, ‘Broadway’ Joe has also voiced concerns about certain aspects of the Jets team, including coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas. It is important to note that the team initially constructed its plans around Rodgers, however, an unfortunate season-ending injury during his debut game forced them to pivot towards starting Zach Wilson unexpectedly this season.
Now, under Zach, as the team scrambles to adapt its offensive identity, the results haven’t been very positive thus far. Despite names like Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz, and Jacoby Brissett being thrown in as replacements, Jets’ commitment towards Wilson has left the franchise in a fix.
