Tim Boyle will start for the Jets against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Black Friday after Jets head coach Robert Saleh reviewed film of Sunday’s loss at Buffalo and met with his coaches.
Late in the third quarter of their Sunday’s 32-6 loss to the AFC East rival Bills, Boyle took Zach Wilson’s spot. After the first quarter of the overtime victory over the Giants on October 29, Wilson completed 7 of 15 passes for 81 yards and the offense’s first touchdown (on a short ball to running back Breece Hall).
During his online press conference, Saleh stated, “We just want to give him an opportunity.”
“He plays quarterbacking in a different way. Basically, the goal is to give him a chance to see if the offensive can be used to our advantage.”
Saleh stated on Friday that Zach Wilson would start as the third-string quarterback, Trevor Siemian as his backup, and Boyle as the starting quarterback for the Jets.
As the Jets’ offense has faltered over the last several weeks, Saleh has been barraged with inquiries over his future at quarterback. In response, he said that it was a 53-man game and that he would not “point fingers.”
When asked what had made him reconsider, Saleh replied, “Last week, as I said, we made a lot of changes across the board.” We made an effort to go younger, moving rookie Israel Abanikanda to running back, Xavier Gipson and Jason Brownlee at wide receiver, and Jeremy Ruckert at tight end. Zach needs to improve on a few things, although it’s not entirely his fault. This is another instance where we’re giving another man a chance to see if things can get better.”
Boyle was signed by the Jets in April as a free agent after growing up in Connecticut. He was the Green Bay Packers’ backup quarterback for a few seasons, then in 2021 he had his best season as a pro with the Lions. Boyle completed 61 of 94 passes (64.9%) for 526 yards and three touchdowns in four games (three starts). Last season, he was a member of the Bears.
The Jets (4-6) have lost three straight games following their three-game winning streak, which was preceded by a three-game losing streak. This is after their loss at Buffalo.
“We’re 4-6, a little behind the eight ball, but not out it [of the playoff race],” Saleh stated.
It took us three games to win before we turned things around. You know how the NFL is—it’s quite the roller coaster. Our squad, in my opinion, exudes confidence. On offense, we’re young and have developed rapidly. We’re only keeping up with the necessary defensive standards.
The main takeaway is that having fun is a prerequisite for going out. Accept the opportunity to become an NFL player and realize our childhood aspirations. There’s still a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
Aaron Rodgers, the four-time NFL MVP, had Wilson as his backup at the beginning of the season. However, everything quickly changed as Wilson was catapulted back into the starting lineup on Rodgers’ fourth play from scrimmage due to a torn Achilles tendon.
Whatever his stats, he was part of an offensive line that saw the injuries of T Duane Brown, T Alijah Vera-Tucker, and C Connor McGovern. Five different OL combinations have faced Jets quarterbacks in the last five games, for a total of seven different combinations.
RT Mekhi Becton’s ankle injury forced him to leave Sunday’s game, which further disrupted the flow of play. That caused rookie Carter Warren to enter the game and play alongside another rookie for the first time this year.
— C.J. Tippmann.
TE Tyler Conklin expressed his support for Boyle on Monday, praising him for acclimating to a challenging circumstance so quickly.
“The main thing that stuck out was his confidence in the huddle,” said Conklin. “He entered, took charge of the huddle, and used extreme decisiveness to get the ball out of his hands. He quickly removed it and stuck it out. I would say based on a tiny sample that he is confident in himself and is aware of the offensive.
When asked what to anticipate from him on Sunday, Boyle replied, “It’s really just positivity.” Football, in my opinion, is that fascinating momentum game where talking on the sidelines or in the huddle won’t really do anything to further the conversation. All that truly needs to be done is to play together, maintain great communication, and make sure that no heroic efforts are being made.
Simply ensuring that we execute the offense, and I believe Coach [Nathaniel] Hackett did an excellent job ensuring that we had a solid game plan in place for this week. We simply didn’t carry it out.”
Saleh was questioned about rumors circulating late in Monday’s press conference regarding Aaron Rodgers’ potential return, including the possibility that he might start practicing in early December with the intention of playing against Washington on December 24.
“I’ll be honest, I’m talking to Aaron all the time, about life, football all that good stuff,” Saleh replied. However, it’s irrelevant until the doctors give their approval. I adore his work ethic; it speaks volumes about his character. He is making a constant effort to return, and yes, he has personal objectives and is keeping an eye on specific weeks. But unless he is cleared by documents, it’s all moot.”
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