Fitz picks up pieces
RYAN Fitzpatrick has licked his wounds and returned to work.
Less than 24 hours after his dreadful six-interception effort in the Jets’ embarrassing 24-3 loss to the Chiefs, Fitzpatrick was back in Florham Park Monday speaking to reporters in an otherwise empty locker room.
He said he’s already “flushed” the game from his system, but the shame from the worst showing of his 12-year career was apparent on his face and in his voice.
“It’s a hard day for me to come in today after, pretty much, we lost that game because of my performance. You don’t really need to pin it or try to put it on anything else. I think that was pretty evident,” Fitzpatrick said. “To walk in today and have to face the guys, it’s not an easy thing to do. But at the same time, I’ve got to be the same guy every day as a leader, as a player.”
Only two players addressed the media Monday. Fitzpatrick was one of them. And he was brutally honest in his assessment. “They’re all easy to get over when you have a game the next week coming up,” Fitzpatrick said. “But it was so bad and there were so many poor things on my part that happened in that game that you want to put it behind you as fast as you can.”
Perhaps more importantly, Todd Bowles delivered his message to the team Monday. When first asked what that message was, Bowles couldn’t help but laugh. “We talked about accountability and just understanding where we are in the season,” Bowles said. “Who we are and what we need to be.”
When asked why he chuckled, Bowles answered, “You don’t want to know.”
“Every time you lose like that,” Bowles continued later, “you have to have a come-to-Jesus meeting.”
Essentially, Bowles told the Jets this will not be the last time they face adversity this season. The key is how they respond. Fitzpatrick said the speech resonated with the players. “The way that he delivered the message today was great,” Fitzpatrick said. “I thought it was something that was necessary, and potentially a turning point in the season. In the locker room, he’s really respected. His message really rings true with the veteran guys. He’s a guy that’s played the game, that’s been through a lot of adverse situations as a player and a coach. And so for him being able to speak from experience on both sides of it, I think is really helpful for the players to respect him and to listen to it.”
Fitzpatrick said he also had conversations with several of his teammates and recognized the Jets have “great communicators” in their locker room.
“We had plenty of side discussions,” he said. “But it’s just one of those things that, after a loss like that, it’s tough and there’s just stuff that needs to be put out there.”
As far as lessons learned, Fitzpatrick said the plays that stuck with him the most were the two redzone interceptions, both of which came in the second half.
“Forced balls in the red area are just things that can’t happen,” he said. “It’s still a matter of taking what the defense gives you. If it’s not there, throw it away. Can’t take points off the board.”
Before Sunday’s loss in Kansas City, Fitzpatrick had never thrown six interceptions in his career. The only other time he threw five was in December of his rookie season against the Vikings, when he was a member of the St. Louis Rams. It was just his third NFL game.
He says his “mentality hasn’t changed since then.” In the midst of poor outings, Fitzpatrick is never thinking about his stat-line, only about how he can lead his team to victory. There is one difference.
“At that point, I was still trying to figure out if I belonged or could fit into the league,” Fitzpatrick said of that fateful game in Minnesota in 2005. “At this point, standing in front of you, I’ve been here for 12 years. So I know that I’m going to be OK. I’ve just got to put the work in, and the results need to follow.”