SIGNALS LOOK BAD FOR FITZ
Todd mulls replacing QB with ‘antsy’ Geno
The Jets’ starting quarterback job is back up in the air. Immediately after Gang Green’s brutal 28-3 loss to the Cardinals on Monday Night Football, Todd Bowles said Ryan Fitzpatrick would remain the team’s starter. But on Tuesday the coach said he is reconsidering the decision and that there may or may not be a change at quarterback, and that he wouldn’t reveal his decision until Wednesday. “First of all, after the game it’s always going to be status quo because I’m never going to tell the media anything before I meet with my coaches and my GM and the rest of the staff,” Bowles said. “So everything’s status quo until we have our meeting on (Tuesday) evening.” The coach added that it was possible that Geno Smith would be named the starter following the internal discussions.
“Well, we’re going to talk about more than that, but there’s a possibility every week that there’ll be some changes made players-wise,” Bowles said.
When asked if he revisited the starting quarterback decision, the coach said, “I did, and when I discuss it with the staff, and when they know, everybody else will know. If I decide to make a move (you’ll) know tomorrow.”
Smith came on in relief of Fitzpatrick late in Monday’s lopsided loss, which dropped the Jets to 1-5 on the season. Smith completed 4 of 6 passes for 31 yards with an interception and a fumble (recovered by the Jets). However, Bowles sounded complimentary of Smith’s performance.
“He did show some promise when he was in there,” Bowles said. “He understood the game plan, he did good for the drive he was in there.”
Fitzpatrick had another bad day at the office, completing 16 of 31 passes for 174 yards with a pick, while putting up a measly three points on the board. It’s just the latest in a string of rough performances for the veteran quarterback, who was resigned to a one-year, $12 million deal this offseason.
Nonetheless, Bowles didn’t elect to turn Monday’s game over to Smith until
it was already out of hand. While Fitzpatrick scuffled on the field, Smith huffed and puffed on the sideline, clearly making it evident that he wanted to go in. Earlier in the day, he told an ESPN reporter that he was getting “antsy” to get into game action.
Bowles said he didn’t think anything of Smith’s antics on the sideline, and when asked what he thought of the quarterback’s “antsy” comment, the coach said, “I don’t have any thoughts on a backup player saying anything. They’re backups for a reason, and if they get a chance to play, they better prove themselves to be worthy of playing, regardless of who the person is.”
Presumably, Bowles quarterback decision was between Fitzpatrick and Smith. But Gang Green has two other developmental quarterbacks on its roster — Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg — and so with the season in shambles, some are wondering if at some point the Jets might turn to one of the young QBs.
“It’s possible,” Bowles said. “I mean we still got some stages to go before we get to that point. But it’s definitely possible.”
Bowles said that Petty is still the team’s No. 3 quarterback but added that Hackenberg is “throwing the ball with a lot more confidence on the scout team.”
While the Jets might want to wait until they are out of contention to put in one of their younger QBs, they aren’t far off from that point now, in last place in the AFC East. Bowles said the team’s playoff hopes aren’t quite extinguished but conceded the situation looks bleak.
“They don’t look bright, that’s for sure,” Bowles said of the Jets’ playoff odds.
He did show some promise when he was in there. He understood the game plan, he did good for the drive he was in there. TODD BOWLES ON GENO SMITH