Preseason and training camp are about process, not results. It is a time to lay the foundation for what players can do, so that when the games start to count for real, the process is in place to lead to hopefully good results.
Perhaps the best example of that idea comes to us from rookie quarterback Zach Wilson with the New York Jets. Wilson’s struggles in practice have become somewhat of a storyline in New York, with writers wondering about the number of incompletions and interceptions the BYU product was putting on the field during practices.
That led to a fascinating answer from the young quarterback himself that got to the heart of what training camp is about, and what players are trying to learn before the games start for real:
Zach Wilson on taking chances in practice:
"I can't be afraid to make mistakes. This is where I'm learning what I can get away with and what I can't." pic.twitter.com/nOfnDimMED
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) August 11, 2021
On Saturday night Wilson took the field for the first time as an NFL player against an opposing team, and the work that he put in during practice was evident on the field. Wilson finished the night completing six of his nine passes for 63 yards, and led two efficient drives for the Jets. Diving into his film from that night, you see evidence of the young quarterback building that sound process and foundation.
In this video breakdown we’ll dive into three throws, highlighting his footwork, his mental process, motion for information, how Wilson reads coverage rotations, and more:
To be fair, it was one game. One night. But these three throws should give Jets fans plenty of hope for the future…and the present.
