Jets HC Robert Saleh: Critics holding Zach Wilson 'hostage' over Patriots loss

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh thinks critics of quarterback Zach Wilson need to move on from last month's loss to the New England Patriots. 

"We’re kind of holding him hostage to four, five plays that he had against New England, in my opinion, at least externally," Saleh said Monday about such takes regarding his starter, per the Jets' official website. "Internally, I think everybody’s got a lot of faith in Zach to be able to run this offense and get the ball where it needs to get to and do it in an efficient manner and I do think that if we do need to put it on his back and put it on our receivers backs and put it on the o-line to protect, I think we’re capable of doing that. 

"But when you start slinging it around and you ask the quarterback to play 60 plays a game, they’re going to make mistakes. It’s hard to play quarterback, I don’t care how good you are, it’s just hard to play quarterback in this league and it’s our job as coaches to make sure that he’s not being asked to do that constantly. If he has to, we have faith that he’d be able to."

In the 22-17 Week 8 home loss to New England back on Oct. 30, Wilson completed 20-of-41 passes for 355 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Some of Wilson's throws and decisions were so questionable that day that former NFL quarterback Matt Cassel and NFL insider Jason La Canfora called for Saleh to bench the second-year pro in favor of veteran Joe Flacco. 

Retired signal-caller and current Amazon Prime Video "Thursday Night Football" analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick said after the game that Wilson "still has to learn to play quarterback in the National Football League." 

However, Saleh noted Monday that Wilson "played really well last week against a really good football team." 

In the 20-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 6 before New York's bye, Wilson completed 18-of-25 attempts for 154 yards with one touchdown and zero picks. 

The 6-3 Jets play at the 5-4 Patriots this coming Sunday. 

Also on Monday, Jets wide receiver Braxton Berrios went to bat for his QB1. 

"Extreme confidence and everybody feels that way," Berrios said of Wilson, according to Ben Krimmel of SNY. "There’s absolutely no flinching in that with anybody in this building and that’s not an exaggeration. Extreme confidence."