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Jets QB Zach Wilson throws two TDs in poised second preseason start

Jets QB Zach Wilson throws two TDs in poised second preseason start
Jets coach Robert Saleh said rookie signal-caller Zach Wilson would play one or two more series than the two he saw in his debut last week. On Saturday afternoon, Wilson made the most of his increased exposure.

Wilson converted two third downs through the air, both to Corey Davis, who has developed recently, with Elijah Moore also sidelined by injury, as Wilson's go-to target between the 20s. Davis finished with four catches on six targets for 70 yards and was also the target on Wilson's second third-down attempt, which was on point, but broken up nicely by Packers rookie cornerback Eric Stokes. Davis' final reception, a 27-yard catch at Green Bay's 16-yard line at the end of the first quarter, was Wilson's most assured toss of the afternoon, emblematic of a burgeoning mind-meld with the veteran free-agent acquisition from Tennessee.

"He's a great player," Wilson said of Davis after the game. "I really enjoy... I just have a lot of trust in him and all his 1-on-1 routes that he's gonna get open. I hope he's got trust I'm gonna get him the ball."

The rookie quarterback was not always asked to push the ball downfield, though he did so Saturday with confidence. Seven of his 11 attempts were below 5.0 air yards, and three were made behind the line of scrimmage, two for good gains to Davis and Jeff Smith, per Next Gen Stats.

Whether Wilson sees more action this preseason in the Jets' final game, but first "home" outing, against the Philadelphia Eagles remains to be seen. A top draft pick ahead of Mike White and James Morgan, QBs with as many NFL starts as him, Wilson is assured to start Week 1 against Darnold and the Carolina Panthers, so he doesn't need to prove he deserves the QB1 role.

"His process is lightyears ahead of what a normal rookie's process will be," Saleh said of Wilson after the game. "For him, the results sometimes will be good, sometimes will be bad, and he's just got to find ways to get better when he sees both."

The question for Saleh and Co. is whether Wilson can go into a 17-game NFL regular season with 42 preseason plays -- 21 against the Giants, 21 against the Packers -- under his belt.

But there's no question at this point that Wilson, who is 15 of 20 for 191 yards and two TDs in those 42 plays, is the answer.

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