As bad as it looked

running back Bilal Powell over the middle, and Powell scampered 85 yards for a touchdown. Then in the fourth quarter, with the Jets in the red zone, Petty moved around in the pocket and extended the play before connecting with a wide-open Stewart for the duo’s second TD. “He led the guys in the second half,” Todd Bowles said of Petty. “He pushed the ball down the field, he made some good plays.”

Bowles revealed after the game that he had “a thought” about starting Petty in Saturday’s game. But because Petty received starting action at the end of the 2016 regular season, Bowles felt it was more useful to start Hackenberg — who redshirted last year — for a second straight week.

Petty remains in a three-man competition for the starting job with Hackenberg and Josh McCown, Bowles said after Saturday’s loss. McCown has played just one series all preseason, a touchdown drive on the opening possession against the Titans earlier this month. He didn’t play a single snap against the Lions or Giants.

McCown also barely played in practice last week. Bowles expects to name his starter sometime early this week.

“That’s his decision, and he’s going to make whatever decision is best for this football team,” Petty said. “What you want to do is just make it as hard as possible.”