Peyton Manning doesn’t appear to have much faith in Zach Wilson.
Maning looked pained while watching the backup quarterback in action against the Bills during ESPN’s Manningcast on “Monday Night Football.”
His annoyance was obvious enough that Eli Manning, Peyton’s brother and co-host, couldn’t help but laugh.
Wilson took over for Aaron Rodgers after the former MVP went down with a lower-leg injury — feared to be an achilles injury — just four plays into the game before eventually being ruled out.
“You can get on the perfect prediction panel,” Eli said during the third quarter while the Bills led the Jets, 13-3. “How many times will Zach Wilson throw the ball the rest of the game?
“So far, it looks like he’s thrown it 12 times. Will he reach 25 times?”
Peyton, who appeared stoic and uninterested, flat-out said: “No.”
“Three more at the most,” he predicted. “Three more passes here.”
Peyton then shook his head and folded his arms.
Said Peyton: “Let’s just run backwards. It looks like [actor] Kurt Russell in…”
While Wilson may not have entertained Peyton, the Jets still pulled off an electric 22-16 overtime upset of the Bills in the season opener at MetLife Stadium.
It was capped off by an incredible 65-yard punt return for a touchdown by rookie receiver Xavier Gipson — the fan favorite on the HBO series “Hard Knocks’’ who provided a nice moment when he made the team.
Rodgers left the game in the first quarter after he was sacked by Bills edge rusher Leonard Floyd.
The Jets originally declared Rodgers as questionable to return, but shortly after declared him out for the game, although X-rays were negative.
Rodgers will undergo an MRI exam on his left calf Tuesday morning to confirm what is expected to be a season-ending Achilles injury.
“MRI is gonna confirm what we think is already gonna happen, but it’s not good,” head coach Robert Saleh said after the game.
“My heart is with Aaron and no one else.”
Saleh said Wilson will be the starter going forward.
Wilson was demoted to backup when the Jets traded for Rodgers in April.
The former BYU product — the second pick in the 2021 NFL Draft — was benched for Mike White last season after he went through a sophomore slump.
The Jets visit Dallas — who beat the Giants, 40-0 — in Week 2 on Sept. 17.
NEWS CREDIT
