Saleh’s Quarterback Merry Go Round Continues
Photo: Michael Henriquez NY Beacon/MetLife Stadium
By Andrew Rosario
The soap opera that is the New York Jets (4-7) took another strange turn last Sunday when they hosted the Atlanta Falcons (5-6) at MetLife Stadium on a rainy afternoon. For the second straight week, head coach Robert Saleh trotted out quarterback Tim Boyle hoping his performance would be better than his last start. It wasn’t as Boyle was worse. Saleh had seen enough watching Boyle complete 14 of 25 passes for 148 yards, throwing 1 interception. With 13:06 left in the third quarter, Saleh yanked Boyle for second string quarterback Trevor Siemian (5-13, 66 yards) who started one game for Gang Green in 2019. The results weren’t any better.
The Jets would get on the board first after winning the coin toss and electing to kick off to Atlanta. Two plays later, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson is tackled in the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 Jets lead. Atlanta’s quarterback Desmond Ritter (12-27, 121 yards) gets them the lead in the second quarter finding tight end MyCole Pruitt for a 20-yard touchdown catch for the 7-2 lead. Both teams would kick field goal as the Falcons took a 10-5 halftime lead.
The second half was even worse as neither team would get in the end zone as they traded field goals again. The Jets would lose their 5th straight game 13-8 dropping their record to 4-8 while Atlanta evened their record to 6-6.
“I thought our guys fought hard,” Saleh would say afterward. As the playoff possibility is quickly slipping away, Saleh did not concede as the team is still not eliminated. “We gotta focus one at a time,” he continued. Saleh did not commit as to who would be under center when they host the Houston Texans Sunday. Reports out from Jets camp said Zach Wilson balked when told he might start after not playing the last two games.
Last year at one point, the Jets lost 6 straight games and they can duplicate that with a loss to Houston. The Texans took out the Denver Broncos 22-17 handing Russell Wilson and crew their first loss since October 12th. Said Saleh how to break the losing streak, “you gotta keep grinding. Continue to find a way to take advantage of our opportunities when they present themselves. When you’re backed into a corner, the only thing you can do is keep swinging.”
The New Football Giants, on a 2-game winning streak behind undrafted Tommy DeVito, host the Green Bay Packers Monday night. Green Bay evened their record (6-6) upsetting the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) 27-19.
