QB SHOE FITZ AGAIN WITH GENO DONE
Well, at least the Jets don’t have a quarterback controversy.
Any debate about whether Geno Smith or Ryan Fitzpatrick should start this week against the Browns ended Monday when an MRI exam revealed Smith tore the ACL in his right knee in Sunday’s win over the Ravens. Smith will get a second opinion Tuesday from orthopedist James Andrews, but the likelihood is Smith’s season is over.
“It’s tough luck for the kid,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said in a conference call with reporters.
In the latest twist in the Jets’ quarterback saga, the team will now turn back to Fitzpatrick, who was benched a week ago and then entered the game Sunday when Smith was injured in the second quarter. Fitzpatrick completed 9 of 14 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, helping the Jets snap a four-game losing streak with a 24-16 win.
Fitzpatrick, who signed a oneyear, $12 million deal this summer, was benched last week after a dismal showing in Arizona. Fitzpatrick has a league-high 11 interceptions and is the lowest-rated passer in the NFL. After Sunday’s game, Fitzpatrick vented about the benching, saying he felt like Bowles, GM Mike Maccagnan and owner Woody Johnson no longer believed in him. Fitzpatrick went on to say he was going to play pissed off.
Bowles gave his response Monday and it was perfect.
“If pissed off is going to stop the turnovers, then I’m more than happy to have him pissed off the whole time,” Bowles said. “This is a show-me game. It’s nothing about belief or non-belief. People get assigned to do jobs and they do them. If I don’t do my job or the GM doesn’t do his job or the quarterback doesn’t do his job and the team doesn’t do their job, eventually they’ll replace us all. It’s a show-me game.”
Bowles, who played eight seasons in the NFL, said he under- stands what Fitzpatrick meant.
“I know Fitz and I know what he means,” Bowles said. “I have no problem with him venting his frustrations. Use it as a positive. If that’s going to cause us to win more ballgames, to play pissed off, so be it. ” It is a crushing blow for Smith,
who lost the start- ing job last summer when teammate IK Enemkpali broke his jaw with a punch in the locker room. Fitzpatrick replaced him and led the Jets to a 10-6 record. Smith has patiently waited for another shot, and it came Sunday against Baltimore. Smith completed 4 of 8 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown before suffering the knee injury on a sack by Matt
Judon.
The knee injury was not believed to be serious Sunday night. Smith said he felt fine and had lobbied to return to the game. The MRI results were stunning. Smith’s time with the Jets is likely over now. The 2013 second-round pick is a free agent after the season, and unlikely to be re-signed.
“It sucks,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said. “It sucks for Geno and it sucks for our team. But this year has been filled with adversity, and that’s one of the things that we’re learning, is how to respond to it. So this is another lesson right here for us.”
The Jets are the only team in the NFL that entered the regular season with four quarterbacks on their roster. The way this season is going, all four might play before it is over. Bowles said Monday that Bryce Petty still is not ready to play. He returned to practice two weeks ago after suffering a shoulder injury at the end of the preseason, but is not up to speed yet.
Stay tuned, though. When it comes to the Jets’ quarterback situation, you never know what’s coming next.