The offensive production for the New York Jets in the 2023 season has reached historic lows in many regards. Their third-down conversion rate is the lowest we have ever seen in NFL history and the team struggles to move the ball with any consistency.
Quarterback play has been a major reason why. This offense was built to tailor to the skill set and abilities of Aaron Rodgers, who lasted four plays before injuring his Achilles. Zach Wilson was tasked with replacing him and the results, as everyone except the decision makers for the Jets, expected.
Wilson was benched for the team’s Week 12 matchup against the Miami Dolphins and has been relegated to emergency duty. Tim Boyle started in his place and Trevor Siemian was named his backup, with Wilson handling third-string duties.
Until Rodgers gets back under center, the quarterback position will remain a mess. But, there are some people surprised by the lack of production given some of the weapons the Jets have at their disposal.
Reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall are great players. Had Hall not gotten hurt last season, he very well could have taken home the award Wilson did.
However, their impact this season has not been felt as much. Wilson can only do so much with quarterbacks incapable of pushing the ball down the field. For Hall, his production is predicated on the offensive line getting the job done and opening holes. With the worst-rated offensive line in the NFL, rushing lanes have been rare to come by.
Just how poorly have the Jets been at opening up holes? According to Michael Nania of Jets X-Factor, since Week 6, which was the first week star offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker was out of the lineup, Hall has averaged 0.00 yards per carry before contact.
That means Hall is incapable of getting beyond the line of scrimmage without a defender hitting him. Among the 38 running backs with at least 50 carries since Week 6, Hall’s number unsurprisingly ranks dead last.
For some context about how important Vera-Tucker is to the team’s success, Hall was averaging 2.9 yards per carry before contact with him in the lineup. His absence, along with a rotating lineup full of bench and practice squad players, torpedos any chance Hall had at producing.
The offensive line has been an issue for a while in New York. While there are only a handful of quarterbacks in the NFL that would find success in this situation, others could have at least kept things afloat. The shortcomings of Wilson and Boyle have only exacerbated those issues as they are incapable of elevating the rest of the offense around them, sinking talented players such as Hall along with them.
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