RUSH HOUR
McCown’s great again, but Jets must play Hack, Petty
Just when Josh McCown is a year NFL if not for the Jets. or two away from saying goodThe Jets are 4-5 and right in the middle bye, he’s learned how to say of the wild-card race with seven games hello. left. The victory over Buffalo allows It’s a shame for the Jets that McBowles to be even more stubborn about Cown is not 24 years old and an ascendsticking with McCown, which in the long ing player, rather than a 38-year-old jourrun is counterproductive. neyman squeezing a few extra years out of There are two logical spots in the his career with his eighth schedule for Bowles team. to go with one of the
He’s having a career kids. One of them was year — honestly, the bar after this game, with was not set very high — 10 days until the next in his 13th season in the game in Tampa. That NFL and he’s managed won’t happen now. to keep the Jets relevant. The next window is
He played a near perafter the Tampa game, fect game in the Jets’ dominant 34-21 which is followed by the bye. So Nov. 26 victory Thursday night over the Bills, against the Panthers is still a possibility. snapping a three-game losing streak that I think the Jets already know enough included back-to-back blown 14-point about Hackenberg and Petty and will be leads to the Patriots and Dolphins. Already to move on from both of them after though McCown threw for only 140 the season. The only way to know for sure yards, he was in total control as the Jets is to let them play. ran for 194 yards and the defense suffocatHackenberg was a second-round pick ed the Bills with seven sacks while forcing in 2016 and was over-drafted by three three turnovers. rounds. He was given a chance to win the
McCown threw for one TD — he job this summer and didn’t come close. changed the play at the line and threw The Jets were the only team willing to a perfect 25-yard pass to Robby Anderoverlook the red flags coming out of Penn son in the third quarter — and ran for a State, where his play deteriorated his fi10-yard score when he kept waiting for nal two years after a strong freshman year. somebody to catch up with him, and he His accuracy is a major issue, among othhas been a steadying influence and a leader shortcomings. er in a young locker room. If Hackenberg was a player, he would
“Josh has been playing great,” Todd have been the starter by now. That’s the Bowles said after the game. “He’s been best way to look at it. Dak Prescott was a leader on and off the field. I can’t say picked two rounds later in the same draft enough about him.” and he’s already won a division title and
All of this does nothing to answer the a total of 17 games for the Cowboys. most crucial question impacting the fuHackenberg was just a mistake by ture: Who is the quarterback when Mike Maccagnan with a quality draft Maccagnan puts more pieces in place and choice. the Jets are ready to win either in 2018 or Petty has an exciting side to him — 2019? he lit up the Giants in the preseason
There are two in-house candidates and — that makes you think maybe he can two college quarterbacks and two NFL be the guy until it becomes evident free agents. The contestants are: Christian he’s not. He’s not talented enough to Hackenberg, Bryce Petty, Sam Darnold, be a franchise quarterback. He has Josh Rosen, Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith. backup skills at best. One of them will likely be the Jets’ starter Next up: Free agency. next September with McCown sticking Cousins has played the last two around as the backup. years on the franchise tag and WashSo, who will it be? ington can tag him a third time, but From the perspective of Bowles, who the price escalates to over $30 milis trying to convince Ambassador Johnlion. That’s not going to happen. Eison and his stand-in, little brother Christher Cousins will sign a long-term topher Johnson, to give him a contract deal in Washington or he will hit the extension, it made sense to start the seamarket. He won’t be 30 until next Auson with McCown. Bowles needs to win gust and should have five good years as many games as possible and McCownleft. gives him a better chance than HackenIs he the answer? I would rathberg or Petty, who each might be out of the er the Jets develop their own quarterback and have him around for 10 years, but Cousins has been to the playoffs, he’s a leader and has some flair to him
nce the 49ers traded Monday for Jimmy Garoppolo and gave up a secondround pick to the Patriots, a reunion between Cousins and his former Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco was off the table.
Smith is in his 13th season and will be 34 in May. The Chiefs traded up in the first round in April to draft his replacement in Patrick Mahomes. Smith will be a free agent after the season and unless he wins the Super Bowl, I think Andy Reid will be ready to switch to Mahomes in 2018. Smith is athletic and would be a good short-term fit for the Jets. They can win with Smith, but if the Jets are going to buy a quarterback in free agency, they are better off putting their money into Cousins, who is four years younger. Next up: The draft If the Jets get to April and they haven’t signed Cousins or Smith and Hackenberg and Petty have played their way out of the picture, then the draft will provide the last avenue to get a quarterback for 2018.
Now that the 49ers won’t be taking a quarterback, they could be open to trading down to a team near the top of the draft. That could be the Jets. But the more games they win, the less attractive their pick is to the 49ers.
Even though the Jets have won too many games to get the first or second pick, the Suck For Sam season is not quite over j just y yet. HOWARD SIMMONS/ NEWS & GETTY O .