NOTHING CHANGES
Bowles: Youngsters have to wait, McCown is still Jet's starting QB
For the Jets fans waiting to see Christian Hackenberg or Bryce Petty at quarterback, it sounds like you could be waiting a long while.
Jets coach Todd Bowles said Monday he is not thinking about making a change from the veteran Josh McCown to one of the younger quarterbacks.
“If something happens to Josh, and those two get ready to play, they’ll play,” Bowles said.
When asked if he meant an injury, Bowles said yes.
Last season, the Jets switched from veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to Petty with four games left in the season when they were 3-9. The Jets are 4-6 right now entering their bye week. The play- ers and coaches are still holding out hope they can make a run to the playoffs, even though the chances of that happening seem remote. Bowles is still coaching for his job also.
Bowles was asked if he could envision any scenario other than injury where he made a switch at quarterback.
“I’m not coming up with a scenario right now,” he said. “We’re going to play the games, and we’re going to try to win each one. Josh will be our quarterback, and then we’ll go from there.”
Hackenberg, a 2016 second-round pick, has yet to play a snap in the regular season. Petty, a 2015 fourthrounder, started four games last year. Petty is currently No. 2 on the depth chart behind McCown with Hackenberg third.
Though McCown has played better than anyone expected this season, the Jets’ slim playoff hopes were all but dashed in Sunday’s 15-10 loss to the Buccaneers. The bye week feels like a natural time to wonder if the Jets should turn to the younger quarterbacks, but Bowles threw cold water on that with his statements Monday.
For Bowles, a quarterback switch would amount to waving the white flag, so you can understand his reluctance. No one believes the 2017 Jets would be better with Hackenberg or Petty under center. This move would be all about 2018 and beyond. Last season, Bowles waited until the Jets got to nine losses before pulling the plug on Fitzpatrick, who played much worse than McCown has this season.
For McCown, he is not listening to the cries for the younger quarterbacks from some fans and media members.
“My approach is that I give my all to the role that I’m in,” McCown said. “If that changes, then I will adjust accordingly. I don’t really pay attention to what outside kind of opinions are or that stuff. My role right now is to serve this team as the starting quarterback. I’m doing that as best I can. If that changes, then I will help as best I can in any way. For me, I don’t really think too much about that because I’m absorbed in my role right now.”
The 38-year-old is not the longterm answer at quarterback, which leads to the desire from fans to see Hackenberg and Petty, who both remain unknowns to the public. However, the coaches and front-office members of the Jets see those two in practice every day. Their reluctance to put them into games is telling about how they view them.
McCown threw his 14th touchdown Sunday, a new career high for him. At 38, he is the oldest quarterback to set his career high, according to the NFL Network. McCown has played well at times this season for the Jets, but Sunday the offense stalled in Tampa.
“I’m pleased with how I’m playing,” McCown said of his season. “Some of the things that I set out to do personally, different markers that I want to hit and things I’m looking for to play good football and things like that, I feel really good about. Obviously, there are things we can do better and want to do better but considering coming together with a new group and everything I’m just really proud to be part of it. I feel really good about the things we’ve been able to do.”