Jets bench Fitzpatrick, hand QB reins to Petty
With New York out of playoff picture, Bowles is turning to the future
The Petty Plan began to take shape a few weeks ago.
New York Jets coach Todd Bowles was toeing the fine line between trying to win games and preparing for the future.
So, about two to three weeks ago, Bowles decided that if his team’s playoff hopes were over, he would turn to Bryce Petty at quarterback for the final four games and send Ryan Fitzpatrick to the sideline.
“We knew if we were out of contention and out of the running,” Bowles said during a conference call Tuesday, “in my mind and in my head, I told the coaches that we would give (Petty) the last quarter of the season to try to make progress and get better week by week.”
The Jets were mathematically eliminated from the postseason picture on Monday night, and in epic fashion while getting blown out 41-10 by the Indianapolis Colts.
Bowles announced after the loss that he was going with Petty the rest of the season, starting Sunday with the 49ers. Until late Monday night, the coach had justified starting Fitzpatrick the past few games by saying he thought the veteran gave New York the best chance to win.
He was asked Tuesday if playing Petty was a shift in that philosophy. “Just trying to win,” Bowles said, “and it’s trying to see what I have at quarterback with Bryce.”
Bowles acknowledged a winning streak that would have kept the Jets in the playoff hunt would have postponed the move a bit — maybe even until the final game of the season.
Chiefs: Coach Andy Reid indicated that injured receiver Jeremy Maclin, who has missed the last four games with a lingering groin injury, is looking more likely to play against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday night. “I know he’s feeling better,” Reid said. “So yeah, we’re optimistic.”
Lions: Detroit has signed running back Joique Bell, bringing the Michigan native back for another stint with the franchise in the Motor City. Bell played 60 games for the Lions from 2012-15. He rushed for 860 yards and seven touchdowns during the 2014 season. The Lions also signed cornerback Asa Jackson.
Packers: Green Bay defensive tackle Mike Pennel has been suspended for the last four games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy after serving a fourgame ban to start the year. Pennel will be eligible to return if the Packers (6-6) make the playoffs.
Colts: Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performanceenhancing substances. Jackson will be eligible to return to the Colts’ active roster on Jan. 2, a day after the team’s regular-season finale against Jacksonville.
Miscellany: The Louisiana man who fatally shot exNFL player Joe McKnight during a road rage dispute was jailed on a manslaughter charge as a sheriff angrily defended the investigation, saying authorities “strategically” waited for days to make the arrest because they needed to find independent witnesses. Ronald Gasser, 54, was initially questioned after the shooting last Thursday but he was released without being charged, drawing heated criticism from protesters who said race played a role in the investigation. Gasser, who is white, was arrested late Monday. McKnight was black.
The man who shot n former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith is a raging killer who first shot Smith’s wife in the legs, then fired eight bullets into the side and back of the unarmed NFL star, a prosecutor declared. Cardell Hayes’ defense lawyer countered that he fired in self-defense, fearing that the angry Smith was fetching a gun from his SUV during their argument following a traffic accident.