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Photo of AP Kurt Benkert of the Green Bay Packers throws during a preseason game against the New York Jets on Saturday in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – Zach Wilson provided the New York Jets with more reason to be optimistic while knocking out a Green Bay Packers defense resting nearly all of its starters.
Wilson managed three assists and threw his first two touchdowns of the preseason in the New York Jets 23-14 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
The Jets have gone through a quarterback assembly line as they seek their first playoff spot since 2010. They’re finally hoping to find a goalie in Wilson, the BYU rookie who finished second in this year’s draft.
“I thought he had a good command” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “I thought he was under control. I thought he handled the pressure well. He was good in and out of the caucus.
Wilson posted 9 of 11 for 128 yards, including a pair of 18-yard scores for Tyler Kroft.
He led the Jets to two touchdowns and a field goal in its four series against a non-playing Packers defense of the Pro Bowl Jaire Alexander, Za’Darius Smith and most of their other notable names.
“It was a good look at a lot of our young players compared to some of their starters, and I thought our guys went out there and competed hard,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “But we made too many mistakes to win the football game, and we’re still trying to win here.”
The only Wilson-led practice that didn’t give a run came when the Jets chose to kick fourth and first from their own 49-yard line.
Corey Davis caught four passes from Wilson for 70 yards. Davis signed a three-year contract with the Jets worth $ 37.5 million after spending his first four seasons with Tennessee.
“I just have a lot of confidence in him and in all his one-on-one itineraries, that he will open up”, Wilson said. “I hope he is confident that I will give him the ball.”
The Packers haven’t played reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers or backup quarterback Jordan Love, who injured his throwing shoulder last week on his professional debut in a loss 26-7 in preseason against the Houston Texans.
That left Green Bay to rely on Kurt Benkert, who had 18 of 25 for 151 yards with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jace Sternberger and an interception. He crafted a 19-play, 81-yard touchdown despite tripping over linemen and falling back on back-to-back plays during that series.
His hopes of making it into Green Bay’s 53-man roster hinge on the Packers’ decision to keep three quarters.
“I have the impression of having done all that I could” said Benkert. “I feel like I’m putting myself in a pretty good position, but at the end of the day I know it’s a numbers game and I could play (badly) and they need me on the 53, or I could play really well and they don’t need me and I’m part of the training team.PACKAGERS AT REST
The Packers didn’t dress 32 players for Saturday’s game, including almost all of their regulars. They had missed 30 players in their first preseason game with Houston a week earlier.
LaFleur noted that they weren’t just resting them all and that some of those players were out due to injury.
WEEK WEEK FOR JETS
Injuries continue to mount for the Jets, who held two joint practices with the Packers here ahead of Saturday’s exhibition game.
Defensive end Carl Lawson ruptured his Achilles tendon and safety guard Zane Lewis injured his knee in Thursday’s practice, eliminating them both for the remainder of the season. Backup offensive lineman Conor McDermott was taken off the field on Saturday with a knee injury. Linebacker Jarrad Davis injured his ankle.
Alternate quarterback Mike White left with a rib injury at the end of the third quarter.
Offensive tackle Morgan Moses and cornerback Bless Austin did not play because of what Saleh called personal reasons.
HILL BRAND AGAIN
Kylin Hill of Green Bay, a seventh-round rookie pick from Mississippi State, moved closer to securing a spot on the roster as the Packers’ No.3 running back. A week after turning a short completion into a 22-yard touchdown, Hill hit the end zone again on a 12-yard rush.
“A seventh round choice, it’s just my daily life, my motivation” Hill said. “When I’m tired that’s what I think about, just to prove that a lot of people are wrong in my life.”
TIPS
Corey Ballentine hit a 73-yard kickoff return to set up a Jets touchdown. … TJ Slaton of Green Bay and JT Hassell of New York recorded sacks. … Matt Ammendola of New York was 3 of 3 on field goal attempts with kicks from 30, 46 and 54 yards. .,. New York’s Brandin Echols and Lamar Jackson intercepted passes. … Malik Taylor of Green Bay had four catches for 66 yards.
FOLLOWING
Packers: In Buffalo next Saturday.
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