The New York Jets benched starting quarterback Zach Wilson in favor of Tim Boyle in the third quarter of their matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Boyle came in with 2:16 remaining in the third quarter with the Jets trailing 29-6. The 29-year old is in his fifth year in the NFL and has appeared in 17 games (three starts).
- Wilson was 7-for-15 passing for 81 yards with one touchdown and one interception at the time of his benching. He had a 57.9 passer rating.
- The No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is 3-5 this season with five touchdowns and six interceptions since replacing future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers in the opening game of the season. He is 11-19 with 20 touchdowns and 24 interceptions over 31 career games.
How surprising was this?
It felt inevitable. Once Wilson threw a brutal first half interception as the Jets offense floundered once again, it seemed like the coaching staff was on a crash course toward finally benching the former No. 2 overall pick, like they did multiple times last year, and that’s exactly what happened. Maybe it was too late — but it was necessary all the same. — Zack Rosenblatt, Jets beat writer
What to expect from Boyle
When the Jets benched Wilson last year, they did it with hopes Mike White would give the offense a spark. And that’s what he did … before injuring his ribs against the Bills in Buffalo. The Jets are hoping for something similar from Boyle, who doesn’t exactly have a successful track record (three touchdowns, eight interceptions in 17 games) but he has the trust of both offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and Rodgers from their time together in Green Bay. Like White before him, Boyle is well liked in the Jets locker room — so it will be interesting to see if Jets coach Robert Saleh rolls with him as a starter next week against the Dolphins. — Rosenblatt
Required reading
(Photo: Gregory Fisher / USA Today)
