Zach Wilson odds: Jets' embattled quarterback still slight favorite to be New York's Week 1 starter in 2023 NFL season

When the New York Jets beat the Chicago Bears 31-10 in Week 12 to improve to 7-4, Gang Green was favored to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010, and Robert Saleh was among the NFL Coach of the Year favorites. The wheels have fallen off since, and rock bottom arrived for the Jets and embattled quarterback Zach Wilson in Thursday's brutal 19-3 home loss to Jacksonville. New York is now a massive playoff betting long shot, and Wilson probably doesn't take another snap this season – but SportsLine oddsmakers still slightly favor him as the Week 1 starter in 2023.

Wilson is only starting because Mike White has missed the past two games with a ribs injury, but he has a good chance of returning in Week 17. On Thursday, Wilson was 9-for-18 for 92 yards with a pick (41.9 rating) and three sacks taken before being pulled in the third quarter for unknown Chris Streveler, who was much better in completing 10-for-15 for 90 yards and leading the team with 54 yards rushing.

Who is Chris Streveler? He was undrafted in 2018 out of South Dakota, where he was one of the best FCS quarterbacks in the country and a runner-up for the Walter Payton Award in the 2017 season. He spent two years as a backup for Winnipeg in the CFL before bouncing around the NFL in brief stints with the Cardinals, Ravens and Dolphins.

Streveler played well this preseason with the Jets but was waived, cleared waivers, and signed to the practice squad. He was elevated from the practice squad only hours before Thursday's game. Maybe that performance will allow him to earn the No. 2 role the rest of the year behind White, assuming White is ready to go.

Saleh claimed he didn't bench Wilson, per se, but that he went to Streveler in hopes that his running ability would spark the team's dormant ground game. It was the first time Wilson was replaced in-game in a non-injury situation. Saleh said he would address the Week 17 starter on Monday but seemed to indicate it would be White if healthy.

There's seemingly no way Saleh can play Wilson again this season (NFL-worst 72.8 rating and 54.5% completions -- even recently waived Baker Mayfield is better in both) because his confidence is shot, he doesn't have the support of the locker room and Jets fans mercifully booed him at every turn Thursday – although New York's final two games are on the road (Seattle and Miami).

"Confidence is a big thing. As a human, you're going to have adversity in your life, ups and downs. And obviously, he's in it right now," Saleh said of Wilson. "Zach's the kind of kid who's going to keep his head down, work through it and try to find ways to improve. You'd be remiss saying there wasn't a confidence thing there. We've got to help him out with that, too. … We haven't seen the last of him."

A team simply can't give up on a No. 2 overall pick in the draft after two seasons – although clearly the Jets blew it by taking Wilson over Justin Fields, who went 11th to Chicago. The Jets were in position to draft Trevor Lawrence before they won two of their last three games in 2020. That allowed Jacksonville to earn the top pick and take Lawrence, who is getting better by the week. 

Wilson's four-year, $35 million contract is guaranteed as a first-round pick so there's no point in releasing him, and the former BYU star's trade value right now is almost nil. White is set to become a free agent. The Jets also could look at someone like Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency, Derek Carr in trade or draft a quarterback yet again

The Jets (7-8) sit 10th in the AFC with obviously every other team yet to play in Week 16 and now would lose a wild-card tiebreaker to the Jaguars. Via the SportsLine Projection Model, the Jets' loss dropped their playoff chances from 18.5% to 6.4%. DraftKings lists the Jets at +850 to make it and -1400 to miss.

Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Will Zach Wilson start Week 1 of the 2023 season for the Jets (barring injury)?

• Yes -130
• No Even

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