Bills, Pats at home, Jets on road.
Wilson opens career vs. Darnold in matchup of Jets’ first-round picks
All eyes will be on the quarterbacks Sunday as the New York Jets’ past clashes with its future when Sam Darnold faces his rookie replacement Zach Wilson in the season opener.
Darnold was once viewed as the Jets’ franchise QB after being selected No. 3 overall in the 2018 draft, but after going 13-25 in three seasons the team traded him to the Carolina Panthers and replaced him with Wilson, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft.
Both QBs are now in charge of restoring hope to their respective franchises following years of on-field struggles.
The Panthers were 5-11 last season and haven’t won a playoff game since the 2015 season. The Jets were 2-14 and haven’t been to the postseason since losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the
AFC championship game in the 2010 season.
Wilson has been touted by several NFL analysts as a future star in the league, but Tony Romo recently took it to the next level. He called Wilson “unbelievable” and compared him favorably to Kansas City star Patrick Mahomes.
Darnold, on the other hand, is looking to rebuild his career in Carolina where he has more playmakers to work with and different coaching. The fourthyear QB has downplayed any notion of revenge in facing his former team. He’s also gone out of his way not to bash his former
team, taking the high road by saying “I didn’t do my job to the best of my abilities.”
Clearly this is a golden opportunity for Darnold to win over a Panthers fanbase that is still lukewarm on his arrival, as well as to bury some of his past demons from playing in New York, where he was sacked 98 times.
McCaffrey’s return
Christian McCaffrey was an All-Pro running back in 2019, but injuries limited him to three games last season. Coach Matt Rhule said McCaffrey is healthy physically and mentally and feels he’s ready for a big season.