The Jets’ gutsy win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 has restored hope for one well-known Jets fan despite the season-ending injury Aaron Rodgers suffered on the first drive of the game.
Former WFAN midday host Joe Benigno still thinks the Jets have a good chance to make some magic.
During an appearance on 770 WABC’s “Sid & Friends in the Morning,” Benigno predicted that the Jets could very well win the division after watching the way they played on Monday night.
“They’re gonna win the division. You watch,” Benigno told host Sid Rosenberg, who was much more skeptical of the Jets’ success this season. “And when they do, make sure you come and talk to me about it. OK? And all these Jets fans that are freakin crying, go cry all the hell you want.
“This is the reality of it.”
Benigno recalled all the Jets quarterbacks that he had seen go down over the course of his fandom, including former signal-callers Vinny Testaverde and Chad Pennington.
So, hearing fans claim that the season is already over because Rodgers was hurt four plays into the season did not sit well with Benigno.
Rodgers, who the Jets acquired in a trade with the Packers during the offseason, suffered a torn left Achilles tendon when he was sacked by Bills edge rusher Leonard Floyd.
The injury instantaneously sent Jets fans into panic mode, leading to some surmising that their season was over.
Despite the injury, the Jets rallied back in the season opener in a dramatic 22-16 overtime win.
“I’m pumped to the max, but I don’t want to hear the crap,” Benigno added after Rosenberg joked he didn’t sound too happy about the win. “Just because [Rodgers] got hurt the season is over and everybody is freaking crying. Bull, you know what.”
With Rodgers out, the Jets will turn to former first-round pick Zach Wilson to lead the offense, along with a defense that did a strong job taming the Bills on Monday night.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Tuesday that Wilson was “our quarterback” in a strong vote of confidence for the often-scrutinized 24-year-old.
“I want to make it very clear, Zach’s our quarterback,” Saleh said. “We have a lot of faith in Zach. We’re rolling with Zach and excited for him.”
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