After the brutal season-ending Aaron Rodgers injury on the fourth play of the New York Jets Week 1 win over the Buffalo Bills, Zach Wilson came in and led his team to a shocking overtime win. The young QB got a lot of help from a stellar Jets defense, and that combination led to ESPN analyst Sal Paolantonio proclaiming that Wilson and the Jets can win the AFC East.

“I watched that defense last night. I’m telling you, the Jets are gonna be right there at the end of the season, without a doubt!” Paolantonio exclaimed on ESPN’s Get Up! morning show. “They will be in contention for the division title with Zach Wilson and that defense.”

The Aaron Rodgers injury was a crushing blow to the entire Jets organization, which mortgaged the future for the next season or two of the four-time MVP QB. However, Wilson did come in and look more competent than he had during his first two years in the league, and the defense looked all-world, shutting down Josh Allen and the high-powered Bills offense.

Wilson was 14-of-21 for 140 yards with a touchdown and an interception against the Bills Monday night. With the help of the spectacular running game and on the strength of some timely completions and one all-time great touchdown catch by Garrett Wilson, the QB moved the ball enough to keep his team in the game.

With decent quarterback play, the Jets defense did the rest, flummoxing Allen and Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey all night, to the tune of allowing just 319 yards of total offense and taking the ball away four times.

If New York does stick with Zach Wilson — as Robert Saleh claims they will — and the running game and Jets defense continue to execute to this incredibly high level as they did in Week 1, Sal Pal may be right.