Grading NFL's next generation of quarterbacks in Week 6: How did Zach Wilson play vs. Packers?

The Jets quarterback did not have a spectacular performance in his team's spectacular win

Two rookie starters for Week 6 -- Kenny Pickett and Skylar Thompson -- were knocked out of their respective games and didn't return but both attempted more than 10 passes, so their performances will count toward their season grade. A total of six quarterbacks selected in the past two NFL Draft classes saw considerable playing time during Week 6's action.

The Jets got a huge win in Green Bay, but how did Zach Wilson perform?

Let's dive deep into the individual efforts of each quarterback and assign a grade on a per-snap basis, taking every individual aspect of their performance into account. At least 10 attempts are needed to qualify for this piece, which is published each Tuesday during the NFL season.

Trevor Lawrence

High-Caliber Throws: 

• On third-and-13 in the fourth, Lawrence threw with insane velocity on a deep out to Zay Jones for 18 yards through a decently small window.

Low-Caliber Throws: 

• On the first drive, Lawrence was staring at an open underneath option, yet decided to spin out of the pocket and was met by DeForest Buckner for a 14-yard loss on a sack. 
• In the third, he misfired on a throw to an open Kirk near the sideline.

Summary: Lawrence and the Jaguars seemed exceptionally concerned with the Colts pass rush, particularly in the first half, which gave way to a handful of sacks and an ultra-gimmicky offensive attack. While Lawrence got the ball out quicker after halftime, the watered-down game plan continued, thereby limiting the quarterback's potential to generate big plays with his arm.

Grade: C-
Season Grade: C

Justin Fields

High-Caliber Throws/Plays: 

• His first dropback of the game featured a nice spin away from pressure and a forced missed tackle on an 8-yard scramble.
• While rolling left, Fields stopped, set his feet, and found Cole Kmet between two defenders for a 15-yard gain.
• Late in the second, Fields showcased his athleticism and pure speed on an 11-yard scramble. 
• A few plays later, he somehow got the football to Dante Pettis across the middle while scrambling to his right and taking a hit as he threw. 
• In the third, he sent a gorgeous teardrop to Pettis for a touchdown. Fields was hit as he threw and still had enough arm strength to get the ball to the veteran receiver. 
• He shrugged off a tackle attempt in the pocket on a 10-yard scramble in the fourth. 
• Fields' 39-yard scramble on the final drive was a dazzling display of his suddenness and speed. 

Low-Caliber Throws/Plays: 

• In the first, he had an open receiver on a short comeback, decided to eat it, and took a bad sack in the pocket.  
  
• From the 3-yard line, Fields had an open Ryan Griffin leaking out from the backside of the play yet overthrew him in the end zone.
• In the second, Fields threw behind a deep over on third-and-4 that was nearly intercepted. 
• On the second-to-last drive of the game, he threw low and wide to Pettis. The pass was completed but had it been throw with better ball placement, YAC could've been created. 

Summary: On paper, this game looked like a gigantic stinker for Fields and the Bears offense. Seven points in the modern NFL is unacceptable. But this is why rewatching is vital. Fields wasn't tremendous in this contest, yet made miraculous things happen with his legs and actually connected on a few impressive passes. The bad came from timidness and inaccuracy from the pocket, two aspects of Fields' play that've plagued him thus far in his NFL career.  

Grade: C+
Season Grade: C

Kenny Pickett

High-Caliber Throws: 

• Pickett moved the sticks on a third down in the second quarter on a perfectly accurate throw to Chase Claypool who was totally blanketed by coverage. The throw was on the correct shoulder, so Claypool could shield the defender with his body. 
• From deep in the pocket, Pickett converted another third down with a well-positioned rocket to Diontae Johnson near the sideline.

Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:

• Late in the first, Pickett missed wide on a short outbreaking route to Johnson.
• He missed on a long throw from the far hash to the sideline in the second. 
  
• In the second, he vacated a clean pocket unnecessarily to the left and was forced to throw away the football.  
• Pickett airmailed a flag route in the end zone run by George Pickens that could've been a touchdown had the throw been made with better timing and ball placement.

Summary: The ball routinely jumped out of Pickett's hands in this game, but I can't say it was an encouraging performance. The offense in and of itself is far too conservative in the first place, and the few misses from Pickett bring down his grade. There were a few glimmers of higher-end skill, though, which Steelers fans can rightfully cling to right now.   

Grade: D+
Season Grade: C-

Zach Wilson

High-Caliber Throws: 

• After a play-action fake, Wilson bootlegged right and found Corey Davis behind the defense for a 41-yard gain..

Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:

• In the first, Wilson drifted directly into the arms of Rashan Gary for a bad sack.
• He threw an open slant too far in front of the receiver on third-and-10 from deep in his own end, causing the pass catcher to fall to the ground short of the first-down marker.
• As he was falling out of bounds after rolling right, Wilson threw a prayer into traffic in the end zone that was nearly picked. 

Summary: Awesome win for the Jets in Lambeau. But the victory came in spite of Wilson's performance. He was simply not good in this game. His pocket presence lacked, as did his accuracy on throws underneath and at the intermediate level.  

Grade: D+
Season Grade: C

Bailey Zappe

High-Caliber Throws: 

• Zappe stared at the deep middle safety to hold him before throwing with perfect placement on a long ball down the field to DeVante Parker, who climbed the ladder to make a great grab.
  
• Later, he looked right before throwing a strike to a backside slant through a closing window.

Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:

• In the second, he airmailed a throw into the flat to Hunter Henry. 
  

Summary: The low amount of high-caliber and low-caliber plays from the Patriots quarterback has been a staple of this team since the beginning of 2021, and it's impressive that Zappe has been able to play as efficiently as he has in his first two NFL starts. Patriots pass catchers repeatedly ran open against the Browns, and Zappe was able to take advantage of the poor coverage display by the Browns. This wasn't a spectacular individual effort, and it didn't need to be.

Grade: B
Season Grade: C+

High-Caliber Throws: 

• In the first quarter, Thompson looked right before snapping his head back to the middle of the field and firing a rocket to Mike Gesicki through heavy traffic for an 18-yard gain.  
• While not the most difficult throw in Week 6, Thompson connected with Jaylen Waddle for a 30-yard gain on a deep over that had to be thrown up and over a sinking defender and was.

Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:

• Thompson's second-to-last throw of the game was a misfire deep, over the head of Tyreek Hill on a throw that shouldn've have been made because the wideout was double covered.

Summary: Thompson looked dynamic moving in the pocket and showcased a very live arm in the first half against the Vikings before going down with an injury.   

Grade: B
Season Grade: C+