Mike Francesa blasts Jets' Zach Wilson after return vs. Lions

Sports radio legend Mike Francesa clearly wasn't impressed with how New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson looked against the Detroit Lions this past Sunday. 

"Wilson makes the game completely uncomfortable on every down," Francesa said during the latest edition of his BetRivers podcast, as shared by Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post. "Wilson makes the easy hard. He makes everything look hard. He has no idea how to play the position. Zero. He has no pocket awareness. He has no footwork. He has no touch on the football. He does not know how to throw anybody open. He does not know how to look away from his primary read. He does everything wrong and then he makes some crazy throws against his body, on broken plays, that go for big yardage." 

Jets head coach Robert Saleh demoted Wilson from starter to third on the depth chart after the second-year pro played poorly against the New England Patriots in Week 11 and then initially refused to accept responsibility for that 10-3 loss. Mike White took over as Jets QB1 for the following three games but suffered fractures to his ribs at the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 11 that kept him out of action for this past Sunday's home matchup versus Detroit. 

In his return to the lineup, Wilson connected on 18-of-35 passes for 317 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The Jets fell 20-17, thanks in part to Saleh's questionable time management late in the contest. 

Francesa further bashed Wilson for failing to know when to throw the ball away, for missing open receivers and for an overall lack of fundamentals needed to play the position at the highest level. 

"He looks like you handed him a car," Francesa continued about Wilson, "and he’s never been behind the wheel and he’s just trying to take that car everywhere." 

Francesa and other critics of Wilson likely groaned upon learning Tuesday that the second overall pick of last year's NFL Draft is once again starting in place of the injured White when the 7-7 Jets host the 6-8 Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. Per ESPN, Wilson will enter that prime-time encounter holding a league-worst (among qualified passers) 54.9% completion percentage on the season. He's ranked 26th overall with a 42.4 total QBR and has matched six touchdown throws with six interceptions in eight games.