Late fumble wastes bounce-back effort from Jets' Zach Wilson - ESPN

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Embattled New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson played the best game of his NFL career on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium, but he lamented the snap that got away.

Wilson fumbled a shotgun snap at midfield with 7:24 remaining in the fourth quarter — the Jets' final play in their 23-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Afterward, Wilson spoke briefly to the entire team in the locker room, taking responsibility for the defeat.

«To be driving right there and to drop a snap — I cannot do that,» Wilson told reporters. «I lost us that game, and I can't do that.»

Several teammates consoled Wilson, whose faux pas occurred at a critical time — facing a three-point deficit late — against the defending Super Bowl champions. Still, his overall performance was a breakthrough that might have saved his job.

After a week of intense scrutiny, including criticism from Jets legend Joe Namath, Wilson completed a career-high 28 passes on 39 attempts for 245 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He posted a career-high 105.2 passer rating. The Jets (1-3) dropped their third straight, but Wilson's efficiency was a spark they needed after losing Aaron Rodgers to a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in Week 1.

«If he plays that way, we're going to win a lot of football games,» coach Robert Saleh said of Wilson, whose profound struggles had created tension in the locker room in recent days, sources said.

The situation prompted Rodgers, who rejoined the team on Saturday after rehabbing for two weeks in California, to deliver an impassioned speech to the team Saturday night, according to several players. His message: Stick together, they said.

«It's always exciting to see big brother,» Wilson said.

Rodgers, on