Zach Wilson Injures Knee, Jets Nation in Full Panic Mode

When Jets quarterback Zach Wilson tried to scramble to his right and make his way down field for a first down, he twisted his knee awkwardly as he dove for extra yardage. Upon getting up off the ground, Wilson stumbled, he knew something was wrong on his right knee and fell back to ground. 

He stayed on the ground for several minutes, and the next time Jets fans saw him, he was getting helped to the locker never to return to the game. 

For Jets fans, it was another harsh reminder of what life is like to be a Jets fan. They had flashbacks to 1999 when Vinny Testaverde ruptured his achilles tendon on Opening Day, ending his season; flashbacks to 2003 when Chad Pennington broke his hand in a preseason game, and to 2013 when Mark Sanchez was stupidly put back into a preseason game and injured his shoulder.

Now it is Wilson. 

The only difference between Wilson and his predecessors is that all three were known quantities who had taken the Jets to the playoffs. 

Testaverde was coming off an career year in 1998 when he got injured the next season. Pennington led the Jets to an AFC East title in 2002 before getting hurt in '03. Sanchez was under center for two trips to the AFC Title game before falling out of favor so badly with Gang Green he was battling with Geno Smith for his job by 2013. 

Wilson? He hasn't done much up to this point. What we have seen from him is a mixed bag. There is no guarantee the Jets are a playoff team with him, because we haven't seen it. We have no idea how good Wilson could be, and the answer to that million dollar question will quiet possibly be on hold one way or the other. 

That makes Friday's injury that more tragic -- possibly, and, only if the injury is as severe as many were jumping on social media proclaiming before any official word. 

Throughout the night Friday, Jets fans were clamoring that Wilson tore his ACL without clearly knowing anything. Even a known medical "expert" proclaimed on Twitter that the injury didn't look good as far as the ACL was concerned.

However, Jets head coach Robert Saleh said after the game that he was told early tests revealed Wilson's ACL was intact, but more tests and an MRI would be more conclusive. 

Beat reporters on the scene later said that Wilson was walking around gingerly.  Finally SNY's Connor Hughes who covers the Jets, and ESPN's Dianna Russini both stating that the injury may not be season ending. In other words, people were jumping to conclusions too soon. 

Hopefully for Wilson his injury isn't too serious, and he is able to play at some point this season so we can finally get answers to the questions about whether he is indeed the "franchise quarterback."

 If  the news is devastating, the Jets will have no choice but to move on and move on with Joe Flacco or Mike White at quarterback. Not ideal, but Flacco is a former Super Bowl winning quarterback, and White played well when called up last season. 

This is the NFL, it's an unforgiving business.