NY Jets can't do to Zach Wilson what they did to Sam Darnold

When the NY Jets made the decision to trade Sam Darnold and replace him with Zach Wilson this past offseason, they did so with the expectation that things would be different this time around.

This didn't only apply to the success of their quarterback, but also to their ability to build around him. Thus far, nothing has changed.

It hasn't been from a lack of effort, however. The Jets tried to surround Wilson with not only a competent roster but a competent coaching staff this offseason.

They brought in Robert Saleh and Mike LaFleur in what many believed to be two excellent hires even as recent as a couple of months ago. They added players like Corey Davis, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Elijah Moore, and others to help bolster his supporting cast.

But none of it has worked. This Jets offense should be better. It's not. And Wilson has felt the brunt of it.

The NY Jets have failed Zach Wilson through three games

Much has been made about the lackluster performance of the offensive line through three weeks, but they are hardly the only culprits.

The Jets are second in the NFL with 11 drops. They lead the league in drops per target. Over 11 percent of Zach Wilson's passes have been dropped.

Despite a pedestrian 55% completion percentage, Wilson's adjusted completion percentage (which accounts for dropped passes) is over 70%. His numbers would look a lot better if he was getting help from his receivers.

The offensive line doesn't go without blame, though. Wilson has been sacked 15 times which is the most in the NFL. He's been pressured a whopping 33 times which is also the most in the league.

Some of this is undoubtedly on Wilson himself. While Greg Van Roten's post-game press conference comments might not have gone over well, he was telling the truth.

Wilson is holding onto the ball for too long. Pro Football Focus has tagged Wilson with being responsible for the most sacks and pressures of any QB in the NFL through three weeks.

But even still, the offensive line hasn't done its job. They haven't been as bad as some have made them out to be, but the unit hasn't proven to be a substantial improvement from last year.

Part of this is due to the loss of Mekhi Becton. Part of this is due to it still being early in the season. But the time for excuses is over. The Jets need solutions.

This offense has too much talent to be as inept as they are. The Jets shouldn't be going consecutive weeks without a touchdown. They shouldn't be scoring a combined three points in the first half of their first three games of the season.

Blame the general manager. Blame the coaching staff. Blame the players themselves.

No matter who you blame, the outcome is still the same. The Jets are failing Zach Wilson just as they did Sam Darnold.

The good news is that there are still 14 games left this season. The bad news is that Wilson might not make it that far unless things change in a hurry.