New York Jets rookie Zach Wilson delivered a near-perfect performance in Saturday's 23-14 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
The No. 2 overall draft pick finished with a 154.7 passer rating, completing 9-of-11 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He impressed Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who watched from the sideline as a spectator.
"He can throw the heck out of it," Rodgers said during an in-game interview with NFL Network.
Wilson was sharp and poised, showing an ability to see the entire field -- not easy for some rookie quarterbacks. He led the starting offense to two touchdowns and a field goal in four possessions, yielding to backup Mike White in the final minute of the first half.
"His process is light years ahead of what a normal rookie's process will be," Jets coach Robert Saleh said. "For him, the results sometimes will be good, sometimes they will be bad. He has to continue to find ways to get better when he sees both."
After a handful of shaky practices early in training camp, the former BYU star has turned around his summer with two good performances in the preseason. Wilson attempted to keep it in perspective, saying he's only trying "to stack good days."
The only caveat to Wilson's recent success is that he has yet to play against a starting defense. The Packers played only two starters, and they were pulled after only two series.
"Call it what you want," Saleh said, "but he's still getting good work."
Wilson's favorite target was wide receiver Corey Davis, who caught four balls for 70 yards. They connected on the final play of the first quarter, when Wilson was flushed from the pocket and made an off-platform throw to Davis on the sideline -- a 27-yard gain. Wilson also found Davis on two third-down plays, including a 24-yard bullet that helped set up a field goal on the opening drive.
All told, Wilson was 3-for-3 on passes that traveled more than 10 air yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. The scoring passes came on 18-yard completions to Tyler Kroft, who has replaced Chris Herndon as the No. 1 receiving threat at tight end.
The first touchdown was notable because Wilson, demonstrating veteran poise, looked right and threw left, freezing the safety. That opened a soft spot in the coverage, and he dropped in a perfect throw to Kroft near the goal line.
"Zach threw a perfect ball away from the safety and protected me as much as he could," Kroft said.
In six preseason possessions, Wilson has yet to have a three-and-out -- a pretty good accomplishment for any quarterback, let alone a rookie.
Wilson, who grew up a Rodgers fan, got a chance to talk with him at joint practices earlier in the week and again on Saturday. So did Jets' backup James Morgan, a former high-school star in Green Bay who idolized Rodgers as a kid.
"It was like his girl crush growing up," Wilson said. "Mine as well, but I try not to show it."
The big downer for the Jets was another potentially serious injury on defense. Linebacker Jarrad Davis, one of their key free-agent additions, was carted off with an ankle injury. Saleh said the initial prognosis was promising, but that Davis would undergo tests.
This came two days after defensive end Carl Lawson, their top free-agent acquisition on defense, suffered a season-ending Achilles' injury in a joint practice with the Packers.
White (ribs), tackle Conor McDermott (knee) and defensive end Ronnie Blair (hamstring) also suffered injuries in the game.