Jets frustrated as offense sputters again in loss to Chargers

Star wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall, the Jets’ top playmakers, expressed their disappointment with yet another lackluster performance by the offense. Hall commented, “We all need to step up and do our jobs,” and Wilson echoed that sentiment.

“It’s unacceptable, man, and it’s becoming extremely disheartening,” Wilson said in a somber locker room. “I hate coming off the field, looking at our defense and knowing that we’re sending them back out there after a three-and-out. Those guys are my teammates, and they always give everything. They put us in a fantastic position. It’s time for us to reciprocate, man. It’s time. We need to figure it out.”

The Jets (4-4) only managed two field goals against the 31st-ranked pass defense in the NFL, ending their three-game winning streak. They fumbled three times (two by quarterback Zach Wilson), allowed eight sacks, and converted only three out of 17 third-down attempts. Their third-down success rate of 22% is the lowest in the NFL over the past 45 years.

This isn’t an isolated incident. The Jets have scored a mere eight offensive touchdowns this season, tied for the third-fewest in their first eight games in team history.

When asked if the Jets’ struggles are due to the offensive scheme, Garrett Wilson hesitated.

“I don’t know, man, I honestly don’t know,” he said. “I’d like to think it’s not the scheme, and that it’s things we can address by watching film and saying, ‘Okay, if we improve this, it’ll result in a touchdown.’

The Jets had high hopes of having a prolific offense in 2023, but those plans were derailed when quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles tendon on the fourth play of the season. Enter Zach Wilson, the former second overall pick. After showing some improvement in recent weeks, he took a step backward on Monday night.

His statistics don’t tell the whole story, as he completed 33 out of a career-high 49 attempts for 263 yards. However, he missed open receivers and struggled to sense pressure, resulting in a malfunctioning offense. The team also committed three pre-snap penalties, compounding their problems. Not even a stellar performance by the defense, which sacked Justin Herbert five times and limited him to a career-low 136 passing yards, could rescue the Jets.

Coach Robert Saleh declined to blame his quarterback.

“Was it his best game? Obviously not,” Saleh said. “Was it his worst game? No, I won’t say it was his worst game.”

Despite leading the offense to only eight touchdown drives, four of which were one-play drives, Wilson remains adamant that he has grown as a player and is not the same quarterback who was benched twice last season.

“I feel like I’ve evolved as a player,” he said. “Mentally, I feel more prepared and have a stronger understanding of the game. It’s frustrating to not get things done. It’s frustrating, and it starts with me finding a solution.”

Saleh confirmed that he has no intention of changing playcallers; he will stick with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who joined the Jets from the Denver Broncos, a team that ranked 32nd in scoring last season. A change in playcaller wouldn’t sit well with Rodgers, who has a close relationship with Hackett.

Currently, the Jets rank 30th in points per game and 31st in total yards per game.

“If you aren’t angry, something is amiss,” said Garrett Wilson, who ruined a potential scoring drive with a first-quarter fumble. “This is disappointing, and it definitely affects your mentality, but we can handle it. We’re professionals. We’ll push through this, and things will get better. But yeah, I’d be lying if I said we were content with what we’re doing on the field, because we’re not.”

Tight end Tyler Conklin shook his head upon hearing that the team has scored only eight touchdowns this season.

“To be completely honest with you, I really don’t know what to say right now,” he said.