After making subtle improvements in recent weeks, New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson took a step backward Monday night.

His stat line wasn't ugly, as he completed 33 of a career high 49 attempts for 263 yards, but it doesn't tell the full story. He missed open receivers and didn't sense pressure well, as the offense sputtered in every imaginable way. They had three pre-snap penalties, which didn't help. Not even a stellar performance by the defense, which sacked Justin Herbert five times and held him to a career low 136 passing yards, could bail out the Jets.

Coach Robert Saleh refused to blame his quarterback, Rich Cimini of ESPN New York reports.

"Was it his best game? Obviously not," Saleh said. "Was it his worst game? No, I'm not going to say it was worst game."

Despite having led the offense to only eight touchdown drives, four of which were one-play drives, Wilson insisted he's not the same quarterback who got benched twice last season.

"I feel like I'm a different player," he said. "I feel like I'm in the best position I've ever felt, mentally, my understanding of the game. I feel ready to be out there and be competing, and so that's so frustrating, just not getting things done. It's frustrating and it starts with me finding a way."

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