NY Jets offensive grades for Week 1 win over the Bills

Despite the early injury to Aaron Rodgers, the NY Jets offense still managed to produce 16 points before the winning punt return touchdown from Xavier Gipson.

A large part of the point production was because of the Jets' stellar defense, creating four Josh Allen turnovers, including an interception and fumble that led to the Jets tying the game and then taking the lead just a few minutes later. 

As for the entire unit, the Jets offense will need to be better to continue to win games this year, and that will be reflected in the grades below.

But in terms of the context of the game, having to turn to backup Zach Wilson just four snaps in and playing against one of the top defenses in the league, the Jets had a good enough showing. 

Below, I grade four Jets for their Week 1 performance in the win against the Buffalo Bills. 

1. Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

Where else better to start than with Wilson? Thrown into action immediately, without first-team reps the last two weeks, and with an entire fanbase who dreaded seeing him on the field, Wilson looked somewhat okay.

Let’s not get carried away here. Wilson wasn’t particularly great at all and barely hovered around average, but I don’t think fans understand how difficult of a situation this was for Wilson. Don’t forget, he was benched three separate times last year, and the Jets ultimately held open recruitment to find his replacement this offseason.

That said, Wilson finished 14-of-21 for 140 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. The interception was an example of how bad Wilson can be at times, throwing the ball into triple coverage and right at the chest of a defender who didn't move the entire play.

The touchdown also had a lot more to do with Garrett Wilson being an unbelievably talented receiver than anything Wilson did. I will say, though, in the postgame discussions, I was intrigued to find out that the play was a designed run that Wilson checked at the line to a fade. That earned some credit in my mind.

The game plan was exceptionally conservative for Wilson, who mainly checked down to running backs and hit screen passes for his completions. But that's fine. With this defense, the Jets are fully capable of winning like that, especially against teams that aren't championship contenders like the Bills.

One of the Bills' field goals came as a direct result of the Wilson interception to Matt Milano. Had it not been for that, the Jets would have most likely won in regulation Monday night.

That said, following the interception, Wilson showed maturity on Monday night that he has not displayed so far through two seasons. Rather than collapsing or compounding mistakes, Wilson finished strong, going 9-of-13 for 99 yards and a touchdown, leading to 10 points in the fourth quarter.

Wilson executed the screen pass and check-down plan well, and with a full week of preparation, he should be better against another good defense in Dallas next week.

Wilson just needs to be average. That’s all the Jets ever needed from him. If he can be around 60 percent completions this year and limit the turnovers, the Jets will still win games — and I'd argue make the playoffs.

Grade: B

2. Breece Hall, RB, NY Jets

Breece Hall was everything the Jets needed and more. Had it not been for the ACL injury last year, the Jets probably would have made the playoffs, and Hall would have won Offensive Rookie of the Year over teammate Garrett Wilson. Hall showed why on Monday night.

On the first Jets play from scrimmage for the year, Hall took a carry off the left side for a massive 26-yard run after it looked like he was hit at the line of scrimmage. The crowd exploded. Everything seemed right. Then the Jets threw the ball the next three plays, and disaster happened.

That said, Hall single-handedly kept the Jets relevant Monday night for large portions of the game. Everyone in the building knew when he was out there, he was getting the rock. And yet, every time he touched it, magic seemed to happen.

On his second carry of the game and with the Jets pinned deep already down 3-0, Hall took a carry off the right side, made multiple defenders miss, and raced down the sideline for an 83-yard pickup. Had it not been for his lack of conditioning, it would have been a touchdown.

Hall finished with 10 carries for 127 yards and also added a 20-yard catch. The Jets only finished with 267 yards of offense, and Hall was responsible for 147 of them.

If Hall and Dalvin Cook can stay healthy, they truly form the best running back duo in the NFL and should really help Wilson gain some confidence early in the year. The balance should also help both stay healthy throughout the season and be beneficial for a playoff push later this year.

Grade: A++

3. Dalvin Cook, RB, NY Jets

I was excited to see Dalvin Cook in this offense and expected a big day from him in his debut. Much of that was also predicated on the expectation of Aaron Rodgers under center, but I was intrigued to watch Cook play.

He definitely makes the backfield more explosive and just plain better. He is certainly better than either Michael Carter or Israel Abanikanda. But I didn’t see the same pop and electric burst he possessed in Minnesota.

When compared to Hall, it isn’t even a comparison between the two. Hall showed why he is an ascending superstar, and Cook why he is on a one-year veteran deal.

Cook finished with 12 carries to pace the group, but only 33 yards — good for just 2.5 yards per carry. He did, however, add three catches for 26 yards, including a nice 15-yard pickup on a screen pass. He totaled almost 60 yards from scrimmage, not bad for someone who just joined the team two weeks ago.

Cook will be better. He is still working off the rust of taking an entire preseason off. But he needs to be better, quick. It’s clear that the offensive line can create the holes needed, as evidenced by Hall’s monster game.

It was positive to see Cook impact the passing game, as he can help Wilson early on as a backfield threat and take some of the burden off Wilson if he can produce in the running game. That said, it was an average if not unspectacular, debut for Cook that he can build upon moving forward.

Grade: C+

4. Garrett Wilson, WR, NY Jets

The final grade of the week goes to superstar wide receiver Garrett Wilson. This is such a tough grading process for me, as so much of the success of a receiver is reliant upon the play of his quarterback.

Once Rodgers went down, it was obvious that the entire game plan went down with him. I have to believe that if Rodgers was playing, Wilson would have seen more than five targets, and the Jets would have thrown the ball more than 21 times.

That said, Wilson did produce on his opportunities, catching all five targets for 34 yards and the catch-of-the-year candidate touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

On that catch, Wilson outjumped star Bills defender Tre’Davious White, tipped the ball to himself, juggled it as he hit the ground, and then secured the catch on his back for the game-tying score with just under five minutes to play.

Before that, though, it looked eerily similar to last season, where Wilson struggled at times and never seemed to find a groove while playing with Zach Wilson. At points, Garrett Wilson was frustrated, screaming on the field and gesturing that he wanted the ball more.

When he does get the ball thrown his way, though, he is truly an electrifying talent. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets game plan next week involves a lot of touches for Wilson outside and quick, things like stops, slants, quick screens, and fades.

Wilson also needs to exert himself more, though. Someone who is considered a top-15 wide receiver in this league cannot go quiet for extended periods, no matter who is playing quarterback. Especially when that player plays for the Jets, who will struggle to score points this year and move the ball consistently.

That said, the touchdown grab saved Wilson and the Jets' night, for that matter. I'm excited to see Garrett Wilson play all 17 games this year and prove why he is such a force at receiver.

Grade: B-