Analyst: Zach Wilson 'seeing ghosts' like Sam Darnold

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Analyst: Jets QB Zach Wilson 'seeing ghosts' like Sam Darnold did

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 11/2/22

Jason La Canfora has become the latest NFL insider to pile on New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson this week.

"That’s a tough market, man," La Canfora said during the "In The Huddle" podcast about the 23-year-old who threw three interceptions in this past Sunday's 22-17 loss to the New England Patriots, per Ryan Gilbert of Audacy. "They will chew you up and spit you out. He’s starting to look, to me, like where Sam Darnold was when they caught him saying, 'I’m seeing ghosts.' I feel like I’ve seen this movie before and he’s not very good, and now it’s in his head and the fans aren’t buying it, the media’s not buying it."

La Canfora was referencing how Darnold, a former first-round pick of the Jets just like Wilson, uttered what became a famous phrase while featuring for New York in 2019:

Sam Darnold is mic’d up and he came to the sidelines and said, “I’m seeing ghosts.”

(Via @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/9MoM6Rkmo5
— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) October 22, 2019

According to ESPN stats, Wilson heads into Week 9 34th among eligible quarterbacks with a 71.0 passer rating and a 54.9% completion percentage, and he's 24th with a 41.7 total QBR on the season. In five games, he's thrown three touchdown passes and five interceptions.

"I don’t see him being able to withstand all that, and I don’t see them stringing together a lot of wins," La Canfora added about Wilson. "I don’t buy him. I don’t buy that he’s the Jets' answer at quarterback."

La Canfora also echoed former NFL quarterback Matt Cassel and said veteran Joe Flacco is the "better" option of the two for the 5-3 Jets ahead of this Sunday's home game against the 6-1 Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, retired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick recently said he believes Wilson "still has to learn to play quarterback in the National Football League."

For what it's worth, Jets head coach Robert Saleh has insisted Wilson is his QB1 until further notice.

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