MONDAY NIGHT OBSERVATIONS

Thank God for the 40-minute edited version.

I had Zach Wilson going in the Steak League because Kyler Murray wasn’t activated and Jared Goff was on bye. He almost salvaged his night too on that last, garbage-time drive, but C.J. Uzomah couldn’t come down with the TD.

I also had Garrett Wilson who miraculously puts up serviceable numbers every week, despite having Wilson as his QB, but the upside is capped. Finally, I had Quentin Johnston in the Primetime (started as a flex over D’Onta Foreman.) I knew it was a risk against the Jets, but Foreman had split carries evenly last week and was in New Orleans against a stout run defense. I figured Johnston had some upside, but then the Chargers got a kick return TD, and the game-flow was toast. They did hand the ball off to him once, showing they want to get him involved at long last, now that Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer are out. The Chargers aren’t going anywhere this year, and they probably never will.

One thing in which I take solace is Justin Herbert’s stat line. Never start your QBs against the Jets because they have a good defense and don’t generate the offense to make your guy do anything.

Austin Ekeler did nothing, had three drops, but got two short TDs to salvage his day. His owners are probably not in contention at this point anyway.

Keenan Allen got his, despite Herbert having only 136 passing yards. It’s a two-man offense at this point between him and Ekeler.

Breece Hall ran hard, but there wasn’t much room. The Jets offense made the Giants defense look like the 1986 version last week, and the Chargers were the more of the same.

Zach Wilson (QB1) throws a nice ball, and moves well, but just lacks feel for the rush and seems a step slow in his processing. I put some of the blame on the Jets offensive braintrust too, as everything was a drop back in the pocket/shotgun, and there were very few rollouts, read options or anything creative. They need to help him buy time and misdirect the defense somewhat. (Some of the blame also has to fall on those cougars for depleting his vital chi.)

Poor Dalvin Cook. He signed to be a co-starter in an Aaron Rodgers offense with a returning-from-injury Breece Hall, and now he’s an afterthought backup in the Zach Wilson trainwreck.

Of course Cameron Dicker hit a 55-yard field goal. Everyone is Justin Tucker these days.