Locals in the NFL: Zach Wilson back from bench with 'best game of his career' in Jets' Week 14 win

AROUND THE SHIELD — Asked about being benched two weeks ago by the New York Jets, former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson — whose emotions sit prominently on his sleeve most days — candidly responded before starting Sunday's game that he was, to put it mildly, rather perturbed by the decision.

After Sunday's 30-6 win over the Houston Texans, does head coach Robert Saleh wish he had "pissed him off" a little earlier, as one reporter in the Big Apple put it?

"Everything happens, the timing and reasoning, who knows?" Saleh said after a short laugh. "But four more of those, and we'll be pretty good."

Just two weeks after being benched, Wilson returned to the starting lineup and completed 27-of-36 passes for a season-high 301 yards and two touchdowns.

It's just the sixth time that Wilson — who took four sacks — has not thrown an interception this season, and the first time since a 27-6 loss to the Chargers in Week 9.

"The second half, I thought Zach probably played the best game of his career," Saleh said after Wilson's career-high 117.9 passer rating and 75% completion rate. "He was out there having a good time. He made a lot of things happen that weren't there, so hat's off to him. He was outstanding."

After coming off the bench to replace Hall-of-Fame signing Aaron Rodgers in the first quarter of the season opener, Wilson himself was demoted to the bench in favor of Tim Boyle ahead of the Jets' Week 12 game against Miami.

But Boyle threw for 179 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in a 34-13 loss to the Dolphins, and backup Trevor Siemian was equally ineffective in a 13-8 loss to the Falcons that prompted Saleh to go back to Wilson with the Jets teetering on postseason elimination.

The win snapped the Jets' five-game losing skid, and kept New York from playoff elimination, at least mathematically.

"It's exciting, but we've still got four left," Wilson said. "My focus is on the guys, how we can grow from this, keep pushing, and stack this win. We need to understand that this is the standard. But we're going to enjoy this one."

Sunday's offense didn't look like the past two weeks, and Sunday's quarterback looked like a changed player as Wilson did all his scoring in the second half after the Jets' defense posted a first-half shutout.

It wasn't just the Corner Canyon High product, either.

Breece Hall ran for 40 yards on 10 carries, and caught a 3-yard touchdown from Wilson for one of eight receptions for 86 yards. Garrett Wilson added a 108-yard receiving day on nine receptions.

The Jets converted 20 first downs, needed just 6-of-15 third-down conversions, and totaled 268 of their 347 offensive yards through the air.

"The flow of just playing football today was there. I can't say it's been like that a lot during my career," Wilson said. "I thought it was a great job by everybody. I thought (offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett) called a great game, as well. There are always things I'm going to want back, but we'll watch the film and see."

Here are other highlights from former Utah high school and college football standouts in Week 14 of the NFL's 2023 regular season:

• Former BYU and Orem High receiver Puka Nacua caught five passes for 84 yards (on eight targets) in the Los Angeles Rams' 37-31 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Nacua, a fifth-round draft pick who has already set a Rams rookie record for receiving yards, has 82 receptions for 1,113 yards, or 22 catches and 360 yards from a pair of NFL rookie records with three games remaining.
• Former Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson was a big-play machine with a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and an interception in the Chicago Bears' 28-13 win over the Detroit Lions.
• Former BYU linebacker Fred Warner totaled a game-high eight tackles, picked off a pass, and didn't take a chair out in retaliation against DK Metcalf's scuffle in the San Francisco 49ers' 28-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Monday Night Football

Tennessee 28, Miami 27

Titans (5-8)

• No locals on the active roster.

Dolphins (9-4)

• Chris Brooks, RB, BYU: Inactive for Week 14.

New York Giants 24, Green Bay 22

Giants (5-8)

• No locals on the active roster.

Packers (6-7)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Starting quarterback completed 25-of-39 passes for 218 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and ran for two yards with a fumble and two sacks taken.
• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury: Reserve safety played 14 snaps on special teams.

Sunday Night Football

Dallas 33, Philadelphia 13

Cowboys (10-3)

• No locals on the active roster.

Eagles (10-3)

• Sua Opeta, OG, Weber State/Stansbury: Inactive for Week 14.
• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: Reserve receiver returned one punt for 18 yards on special teams.

Sunday afternoon

Denver 24, Los Angeles 7

Broncos (7-6)

• Garett Bolles, OT, Utah/Snow/Westlake: Started at left tackle on offense.

Chargers (5-8)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Starting cornerback had four tackles and an interception on defense.
• Alohi Gilman, S, Orem (via Notre Dame): Starting safety totaled eight tackles and a tackle for loss on defense.

Buffalo 20, Kansas City 17

Bills (7-6)

• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Starting tight end caught five passes for 21 yards, and had a tackle on an interception return.
• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Starting nickel had a team-high nine tackles, a pass defended and recovered a fumble on defense.

Chiefs (8-5)

• No locals on the active roster, but coached by former BYU offensive lineman and graduate assistant Andy Reid.

San Francisco 28, Seattle 16

49ers (10-3)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker posted a team-high eight tackles, a pass defended and an interception on defense.
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted five times for 246 yards (49.2 yards per punt) with one touchback and one punt downed inside the 20.

Seahawks (6-7)

• Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: Starting linebacker totaled five tackles and two tackles for loss on defense.

Minnesota 3, Las Vegas 0

Vikings (7-6)

• Jaren Hall, QB, BYU/Maple Mountain: Inactive for Week 14.
• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger: Reserve defensive lineman also played on special teams.
• Nick Vigil, LB, Utah State/Fremont: Reserve linebacker also played on special teams.

Raiders (5-8)

• Andre James, C, Herriman (via UCLA): Started at center

New York 30, Houston 6

Jets (5-8)

• Zach Wilson, QB, BYU/Corner Canyon: Starting quarterback completed 27-of-36 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns with four sacks taken and three rushes for 12 yards and a fumble on offense.

Texans (7-6)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham (via Stanford): Inactive for Week 14.

New Orleans 28, Carolina 6

Saints (6-7)

• Taysom Hill, QB, BYU: Inactive for Week 14.
• Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU: Reserve running back ran for 43 yards on 11 carries on offense.
• Nephi Sewell, LB, Utah/Desert Hills: Reserve linebacker had a tackle and a forced fumble on defense, while blocking a punt that led to a touchdown on special teams.
• Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: Inactive for Week 14.

Panthers (1-12)

• No locals on the active roster.

Cleveland 31, Jacksonville 27

Browns (8-5)

• Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU: Reserve linebacker made two tackles on defense with a quarterback hit, and another tackle on special teams.
• Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah: Inactive for Week 14.
• Siaki Ika, DT, East (via Baylor): Inactive for Week 14.

Jaguars (8-5)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker had a team-high 11 tackles and recovered a fumble on defense.

Cincinnati 34, Indianapolis 14

Bengals (7-6)

• Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State: Reserve cornerback also played special teams.
• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham (via USC): Inactive for Week 14.

Colts (7-6)

• Blake Freeland, OT, BYU/Herriman: Started at right tackle.
• Julian Blackmon, FS, Utah/Layton: Starting strong safety made seven tackles on defense.
• Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem: Missed a 38-yard field goal and an extra point.
• Zack Moss, RB, Utah: Starting running back totaled 28 yards on 13 carries, caught four passes for 28 yards.

Chicago 28, Detroit 13

Bears (5-8)

• Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah: Starting defensive back made one tackle, an interception and forced a fumble on defense.
• Patrick Scales, LS, Utah State/Weber: Played eight snaps on special teams.
• Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah/Murray: Started at left tackle on offense.
• Noah Sewell, LB, Orem (via Oregon): Reserve linebacker made one tackle on special teams.

Lions (9-4)

• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills (via Oregon): Started at right tackle on offense.

Baltimore 37, Los Angeles 31

Ravens (10-3)

• Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Active, but did not play.
• Marcus Williams, FS, Utah: Starting safety had five tackles and a pass defended on defense.
• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Reserve linebacker made four tackles, two tackles for loss and a pass defended on defense.

Rams (6-7)

• Puka Nacua, WR, BYU/Orem: Starting wide receiver caught five passes for 84 yards on offense.
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Starting defensive end made two tackles on defense.

Tampa Bay 29, Atlanta 25

Buccaneers (6-7)

• Deven Thompkins, WRR/RS, Utah State: Reserve receiver caught two punts for 26 yards, returned one kickoff for 29 yards on special teams.

Falcons (6-7)

• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Reserve running back ran for 40 yards on nine carries on offense.
• Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah: Starting cornerback had five tackles and two passes defended on defense.
• Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial (via Idaho): Starting linebacker posted a team-high 10 tackles on defense.

Thursday Night Football

New England 21 Pittsburgh 18

Patriots (3-1)

• No locals on the active roster.

Steelers (7-6)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East (via Oklahoma State): Reserve running back ran for 11 yards on seven carries, caught four passes for 29 yards in 37 offensive snaps.
• Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah: Reserve safety played 21 snaps on special teams.

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