#GARRETT_WILSON

[tsportsday]

Aaron Rodgers has made himself a story by promising to return this season despite surgery to repair a torn Achilles he injured minutes into Week 1. His practice window opened 77 days after he went under the knife and he's been on the field working with his teammates aiming to play again very soon.While their Dec. 24 game against the Washington Commanders has been a target date for a return, there's been no official word if he'll actually be back this season. Even still, the work the New York Jets quarterback has put in has amazed his teammates and his head coach, Robert Saleh.“He pushed it a little bit yesterday,” Saleh said about Rodgers on Thursday. “He went under center and he’s running boots and jogging from drill to drill. I mean, it looks normal to me, but it’s unbelievable.“Credit to him, especially in this day and age where a hangnail can affect a game week, but this dude is grinding to try to get himself back, it just shows how much he cares, and I have an appreciation for him.”Said wide receiver Garrett Wilson: “It is definitely impressive seeing him out there and the progress he has made in such a short time. He’s special and the mindset and the way he goes about his treatment, he will be back ready to play pretty soon. It’s crazy.”While Christmas Eve return is the hope, Rodgers himself said earlier this month he would need to feel like he could protect himself in the pocket before he would feel comfortable under center again. He also added that doctors would need to clear him, and the 5-8 Jets, who are two wins out of a playoff spot in a crowded AFC postseason picture, would need to still be in the hunt.“I don’t think that would make a ton of sense,” Rodgers said. “A comeback this year before the four-month mark [Jan. 11] would mean I’m not 100 percent healthy. So it would be a risk for myself to even sign off on. If we are out of it, I would be surprised if [the Jets and doctors] would OK that comeback.”The quarterback play has been one of the biggest factors in why the Jets aren't living up to expectations. After Rodgers went down, they turned to Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle, Trevor Siemian, and are now back to Wilson with four games to play. A promising 4-3 start disappeared quickly after a five-game losing streak.If Wilson fails to repeat his Week 14 performance, which earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, the calls to play Rodgers against the Commanders may get louder.

[tsportsday]

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito and New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson have been named NFL Offensive Players of the Week for the NFC and AFC, respectively, the league announced on Wednesday.(Just like we all saw coming back in August for Week 14 of the season!)DeVito earned the honors for being efficient during the Giants' 24-22 win over the Green Bay Packers Monday night. He went 17-for-21 for 158 passing yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. One of his 10 second half completions came with 49 seconds to play — a 32-yard pass to Wan'Dale Robinson — to help set up Randy Bullock's game-winning field goal as time expired.Since taking over as the team's starter, DeVito has grown into the role and helped the Giants to three straight wins, making him the first rookie quarterback in franchise history to do so since Phil Simms won four in a row in 1979.The 25-year-old DeVito has also become a beloved figure in the New York sports scene due his backstory of being undrafted, still living at home with his parents, and having an agent with a unique sense of fashion.New York PostMoving on to the other NFL team that plays at MetLife Stadium, Zach Wilson has had quite an up and down season. He began the year relegated to backup status after the Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers. He then was thrust into the starter's role after Rodgers tore his Achilles minutes into the opening game of the season.Wilson held the starting job until late November when Tim Boyle was given two starts. Those did not go so well and it was back to Wilson for Sunday's game against the Houston Texans.Jets head coach Robert Saleh said the 30-6 win over the Texans was "probably the best game of [Wilson's] career." Wilson went 27-for-36 with 301 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the team."He balled, he balled," Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson. "He put it all out there, throwing dots in the rain and when those things mess with what they were trying to do on offense. As far as what we were trying to do, Zach handled it and that is always our goal, handle it better than them, and we did."Zach went crazy today, like I said, he has got all the faith in us in the world. It is great to see him and just hoop."