Monday’s Jets-Bills clash was billed as a titanic quarterback showdown between Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen. Neither side lived up to the hype, for very different reasons. Allen’s poor outing—and the Jets’ consequent 22–16 win—has one New York-based media personality making some pretty wild statements about the two teams’ quarterback situations.
Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles tendon just four snaps into his Jets tenure, knocking him out for the season. The injury is a devastating blow for the four-time MVP and a team that had Super Bowl expectations with the 39-year-old at the helm.
Allen, meanwhile, emerged from the game healthy, but played well below his own MVP-level standards. He completed 29 of 41 passes for 236 yards with one touchdown pass and three interceptions, and he lost one of his two fumbles.
With Rodgers out and Allen struggling, Zach Wilson was able to steer the Jets to an overtime win, clinched with a dramatic game-winning punt return touchdown by Xavier Gipson. Wilson’s performance, while good enough to win, was pretty pedestrian. He completed 14 of 21 passes for 140 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception. Even so, he is entrenched as New York’s starting quarterback moving forward, according to coach Robert Saleh.
Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports
Wilson was the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL draft and still has potential. There is the possibility that he takes full advantage of the opportunity with Rodgers out and runs with it, leading the Jets to the playoffs. He has not yet shown anywhere near the ability of Allen, but that didn’t stop FS1’s Craig Carton from arguing that he wouldn’t swap the two quarterbacks after the Week 1 game.
“I have now convinced myself that the Jets are still winning the division. Still winning the AFC East with Zach Wilson,” Carton said on his FS1 show Wednesday, before asking co-host David Jacoby a question few would even consider.
“Would you trade Zach Wilson straight up for Josh Allen?”
Jacoby immediately answered, “Yes,” to which Carton responded, “I don’t know if I would.”
When confronted with it, he doubled down and got some encouragement from panelist and former Jets offensive lineman Willie Colon.
“Jet Nation, after watching Josh Allen throw three picks and fumble the ball, there’s not a single living Jet fan that would make that trade today,” Carton argued.
Whether or not Allen has regressed, as Colon said while backing Carton, most observers would agree he’d have to absolutely fall off a cliff to go from 2022’s third-place MVP finisher to below Wilson.
It should be noted that Carton looked as if he were holding back laughter during the segment. Jacoby shared the clip, calling out Carton and Colon for “boldface lies.”
Would you trade Zach Wilson for Josh Allen?@craigcartonlive @willcolon66 @plaxicoburress @djacoby discuss pic.twitter.com/Hy1IU6hl33
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) September 13, 2023
He wasn’t the only one to lay into Carton for this really brutal take.
Like I don’t understand it, is this the content that Jets fans want? Like if this what Jets fans respond to, good for them. But I feel like if Bills media lied to this extent they’d be laughed out of a job within a week.#jets #BillsMafia #Bills https://t.co/Lt7xQfYvoX
— jason (@jasontothe) September 13, 2023
Zach Wilson would trade Zach Wilson for Josh Allen straight up. Stop it.😭😭 https://t.co/GLlmXo0XL2
— DarrellF29 (@DarrellF29) September 13, 2023
https://t.co/AWVMUBiTAk pic.twitter.com/nV72C6Q80G
— Hashtag Sports (@_hashtagsports) September 14, 2023
https://t.co/dDzBl7VKEg pic.twitter.com/D8sy4gvfHk
— Bruce Nolan (@BruceExclusive) September 13, 2023
The Jets will look for another unlikely win on Sunday against the Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, while the Bills look to notch their first win of the year against the Raiders at home.
