Zach Wilson may have cost the New York Jets a win Sunday, but that doesn’t mean his poor play will cost him the job as starting quarterback. Head coach Robert Saleh confirmed that Wilson will be the QB1 for the rest of the season, barring injury.

“He’s our quarterback because we think he’s gonna get better and he’s gonna continue to prove why he’s the No. 2 pick,” Saleh said Monday.

Wilson, who was the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, threw three maddening interceptions in a 22-17 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. Each was a reckless decision coupled with terrible execution. And those picks helped sink the Jets. They had been seeking a fifth straight win and a chance to exorcise their demons against Bill Belichick and the Patriots.

“Yesterday was not a good game in terms of a decision-making standpoint,” Saleh stated. “Those three critical mistakes were backbreaking.”

One of Wilson’s most vocal supporters, NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky, shredded Wilson on ESPN’s “Get Up” program Monday. The former NFL quarterback said Wilson needed to “grow the fudge up.”

Robert Saleh accentuates the positives with Zach Wilson

Robert Saleh wasn’t dishing tough love like that on Monday. He chose to more positive.

Zach Wilson did throw for an NFL career-high 355 yards against the Patriots, including a gorgeous 53-yard strike to Garrett Wilson and a 64-yard hookup with Denzel Mims. And Saleh pointed out that the Jets have topped expectations so far this season with Wilson playing a big role in that.

“The guy’s 4-1 coming back as the starter (following arthroscopic knee surgery),” Saleh explained. “He does have a lot to do with that (record), avoiding all the sacks, throwing away the ball, keeping us on track, keeping us on schedule. There’s a lot of things that don’t blow up the stat page but from a coaching standpoint there’s a lot of things he’s done that keep us from at least imploding.”

The Jets did shake things up behind Wilson, however. Mike White was elevated Sunday to be the No. 2 quarterback. Veteran Joe Flacco, who started the first three games this season when Wilson was sidelined, is now third on the depth chart.

At 5-3, the Jets already surpassed last season’s win total (4-13). They are tied for second in the AFC East.

“Nobody would have had us at five wins at this point,” Saleh said. “Zach’s a big part of that.”

So, he’ll be under center again this week when the Jets host the first-place Buffalo Bills. And when they return from the bye week, it’ll be Wilson’s ball the rest of the season.

Saleh has made that point crystal clear.