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Zach Wilson or Mac Jones? The AFC East will see two rookie quarterbacks suit up in Week 1 of the 2021 season, but who is better placed to hit the ground running?
The 2020 season was a year of change in the AFC East. The Buffalo Bills claimed the throne after 11 years of the New England Patriots' reign. The Miami Dolphins debuted a first-round rookie quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa, while the Patriots and New York Jets realized it was time to start reviewing their plans for the most important position in football.
There was never any doubt who the Jets' starter for Week 1 would be. In the preseason, second overall draft pick Zach Wilson gave the Jets hope that they made the right call. The BYU product showcased all of the technical and mental skills required to shine in the spotlight in New York City. His accuracy, quick release and poise were there for all to see.
Debates were raging about who would start for the Patriots until Wednesday, when veteran Cam Newton was suddenly cut. That move paved the way for the only quarterback drafted by the Patriots in the first round since Drew Bledsoe in 1993.
Mac Jones did everything right in the preseason, recording the highest grade among rookie passers and rightfully earning the starting jersey in Foxborough.
But when the smoke clears and the lights go up on September 12, will Zach Wilson or Mac Jones write the headlines in Week 1? The Jets travel to face the Carolina Panthers, while the Patriots host the Miami Dolphins. Here's a lowdown on Zach Wilson and Mac Jones' showings so far.
Zach Wilson or Mac Jones? Who shines brightest in Week 1?
Zach Wilson’s chances of hitting the ground running in Charlotte will likely be decided by what goes down in the trenches. The Panthers’ young pass rush, led by Brian Burns and backed up by sophomores Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos, is a unit on the rise. Meanwhile, the Jets added second-round rookie guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to block next to man mountain Mekhi Becton on Wilson’s blindside.
If Zach Wilson is afforded good protection, there is an opportunity to carve up a low-ranked Panthers secondary that is missing suspended nickel back A.J. Bouye. Corey Davis will be eager to back up a breakout 2020 season where he was graded as a top-ten wide receiver despite patchy quarterback play.
That quarterback? Sam Darnold, who now leads the Panthers offense. No doubt the former Jet will be extra motivated to make an impression in his new home stadium against the team that discarded him. Who knows? A reaction from Darnold may even light a fire under Zach Wilson to outgun his predecessor.
An AFC East divisional clash opens the 2021 campaign at Gillette Stadium, where few people in the NFL have a better insight into coordinator Josh McDaniel’s Patriots offense than Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. The former New England defensive play-caller will be tapping all of his resources to unsettle Mac Jones, with rookie first-rounder Jaelan Phillips joining Miami’s front seven.
Three out of four starters are back in a strong Dolphins secondary, including a star in Xavien Howard who has a legitimate claim to be the best cornerback in football. However, Miami’s soft spot in 2020 was defending the run, an area the Patriots excelled in last season.
Expect Mac Jones to take a back seat to a run-heavy Patriots offense, while Zach Wilson may see his name written up in lights as Week 1 draws to a close.
However, it could be a different story when the pair go head-to-head in Zach Wilson's home debut as the Jets host the Patriots in Week 2.
