Garrett Wilson looked like himself again on Sunday, and the New York Jets had every reason to feel good about it.
In a 23-10 win over the Tennessee Titans, Wilson was the most dangerous offensive player on the field. His burst was there.
His athleticism showed up. And for the Jets, getting that version of Wilson back mattered as much as anything else from Week 1.
Wilson also talked after the game about what it meant to return and absorb contact again, something that can linger in a player’s mind after an injury. He said the first few hits helped flip the switch.
“It was good for me to get back out there and get that confidence back,” Wilson said, per the Post. “I kind of got knocked around early so I was like, ‘OK, this is what it feels like to get hit again.’
After that, you’re ready to play. It was good to be out there and for me to have to make some plays.
My team relying on me, I missed that feeling. I love ball.
It was good to be out there.”
The Jets’ offense also looked sharper overall, which is a welcome development for a team that has spent too many recent seasons searching for enough production on that side of the ball. Sunday didn’t answer every question, but it did show something tangible.
Wilson said there was still more to squeeze out of the performance.
“We still left a lot on the field,” Wilson said. “That was the best part about it.”
It’s only Week 1, so there’s no reason to sprint to conclusions. Still, the Jets got a promising start, and Wilson’s comfort level coming out of the opener is a big piece of that picture.
In Other News...
Rex Ryan Just Framed The Aaron Glenn Debate Jets Fans Feel
Rex Ryan spent part of the postgame conversation doing what former Jets coaches so often do in this market: turning a win into a bigger evaluation of the people on the sideline. After the Jets beat the Titans 23-10, Ryan praised the coaching staff, including Aaron Glenn and Frank Reich, while also pointing to Geno Smiths play and the defenses active day with tackles for loss and sacks. It was the kind of performance that gives a coach credit beyond the final score, because the structure looked organized and the unit looked prepared.
For Jets fans, the more interesting part is how Ryan framed the discussion around Glenn. The praise landed in a moment when every strong defensive showing gets read as part of a larger debate about the staffs direction, especially with the franchise still sorting through what it wants to be. Ryan also took a jab at Robert Saleh afterward, adding another layer to a conversation that already has plenty of history attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Suddenly Have A New Target Decision After Rookie Setback
Omar Cooper Jr.s ankle sprain has forced the Jets to reshuffle their passing game plans early in the season, and the rookie receiver is now looking at a week-to-week recovery that should keep him out for roughly the next month. For a team still sorting out its receiving hierarchy, losing a young target so soon after the start of the year creates an immediate opening for other pass-catchers to step into bigger roles.
One of the most intriguing beneficiaries has been Kenyon Sadiq, who has already made a positive impression after spending training camp and the preseason on the sideline with a hernia. The tight ends early-season showing has given the Jets something useful to work with as they adjust around Coopers absence, and it may push more of the offense through Sadiq while the rookie wideout works his way back. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Suddenly Need More From A Veteran Receiver Than Expected
The Jets added a familiar, steady hand to the receiver room by signing Sterling Shepard to the practice squad, a move that comes as the roster keeps getting thinned out by injuries. At the same time, defensive back Jordan Clark was promoted to the active roster to help shore up the back end after Minkah Fitzpatrick and Omar Cooper Jr. went down, giving the team another body at a spot that needed one.
Shepards arrival also takes on a little more weight with Tim Patrick now on injured reserve because of a groin injury, leaving the Jets looking for dependable depth wherever they can find it. For a team already managing multiple absences, the next few weeks could determine how much it needs from Shepard and whether he becomes more than just a temporary insurance policy. [Read more 🡒]