With New York Jets starting quarterback Zach Wilson sidelined for the next month with a bone bruise and tear in his meniscus, it looks like 14-year NFL veteran Joe Flacco is making the most of the new opportunity and impressing since taking over the offense this week.
The Jets got very lucky this week when it was revealed that Wilson will not need more time than the original estimates to recover from the injuries he suffered in the team’s first preseason game of 2022. Fans no longer have to worry about their starting signal caller missing an entire season due to a major ligament tear in his knee. And there is a very real possibility that the 23-year-old could be back for the team’s season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 11.
In the event that he isn’t ready for Week 1 or the game after, New York will lean on 37-year-old Joe Flacco to steer the offense through the rest of the preseason and the early weeks of the regular season. It’s a thought that has not thrilled some Jets fans since the New Jersey native is well past his prime years, and is 0-5 in the games he has started for the team over the last two seasons.
Joe Flacco excelling since becoming New York Jets starter
However, there is a reason to be hopeful Gang Green fans, because the team’s temporary starting QB has actually been looking very good in camp since taking over first-team reps. Even better than Wilson in certain areas. Earlier this week, The Athletic’s Jets beat writer Zack Rosenblatt reported that the one-time Super Bowl-winning QB was “on fire” in practice at the start of the week and led the offense to some of its best play all summer.
“Tuesday was one of the Jets’ best offensive practices of training camp, and Flacco was on the money. He opened the day by completing 10 straight passes in 11-on-11 drills, two of them for short touchdown passes to tight end Tyler Conklin and running back Breece Hall. … Flacco’s best throw came on the last 11-on-11 drive of the afternoon when he completed a laser pass to wide receiver Elijah Moore on a deep out-cut near the end zone. The next two passes after that: two short touchdowns to Corey Davis, the second an impressive throw that Davis snatched from above cornerback Bryce Hall’s head and kept his two feet in bounds.
“All told, Flacco completed 14 of 17 passes, with four touchdowns, all of them in the red zone — an area in which Wilson had struggled at times in training camp.”
Report on Joe Flacco’s play as new starting QB
Obviously, the Jets’ success in 2022 will hinge on the play of Wilson and not Flacco, but if the young starter has setbacks in his recovery it is good to see that Flacco is playing well in his third season with the team.
Experience has its advantages, and the former Ravens star excelling in end zone series’ — an area where Wilson faltered in camp — is important if Jets supporters hope he can scrape out a win or two while Wilson is out.
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