SORRY, JETS FANS, BOWLES STICKS WITH FITZ
The Fitz just keep on coming for fans as Jets stick with struggling signal caller
Eight is not enough for Todd Bowles to pull the plug on Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The Jets lost their eighth game of the season Sunday, a 22-17 loss to the Patriots, but on Monday, Bowles said Fitzpatrick will remain the starting quarterback when the Jets play the Colts on Monday Night Football.
That sound you hear is Jets fans screaming.
Most Jets fans want the team to play Bryce Petty, the 2015 fourth-round pick, with an eye toward the future. But Bowles said that was not even a consideration after the loss, though he declined to name a starter after the game.
“There was no debate,” Bowles said. “There was no decision [to be made]. I knew all along.”
The decision was not shocking if you have been following Bowles’ logic all along. He has insisted Fitzpatrick gives the Jets the best chance to win. Fitzpatrick played well Sunday, completing 22of-32 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. His late fumble sealed the loss, but overall, he played one of his best games this season.
The only explanation for turning to Petty at this point would be if Bowles felt there were no more reason to win games this season and that the time had come to get a look at Petty to evaluate him for 2017. The Jets also have rookie Christian Hackenberg waiting his turn, but that appears to be far off.
“We get looks at them every day,” Bowles said of the young quarterbacks. “As a coach, you weight trying to win ballgames first. There’s a time and place that those guys will get a chance to play. It just won’t be next week.”
The 34-year-old Fitzpatrick is a free agent after this season and likely gone. Geno Smith, who is out for the year with a knee injury, also is a free agent and unlikely to return. That leaves Petty and Hackenberg as the only quarterbacks under contract. Petty started two weeks ago against the Rams with Fitzgerald injured, but that has been his only extended regular-season action. Hackenberg, a second-round pick in May, has not been active yet.
Doesn’t Bowles need to see what they can do in a game?
“There’s curiosity for all the young guys who are backing up right now,” Bowles said. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to start them all right now. There’s a time and a place for that. If and when we get to that point, I’ll make that decision. There’s a lot of guys backing up that you probably want to see in games that’s not ready to play yet. I’ll go from there.”
At 3-8, the Jets have no playoff hopes left, even though they still are alive mathematically. Jets fans have been hoping for weeks Bowles would make a quarterback switch, but Bowles’ definition of the season being over is different than fans’. He said he has an idea of when younger guys, not necessarily the quarterbacks, would get to play more.
“I have a timetable in my head for certain guys I want to see at different positions,” Bowles said. “When that time comes, I’ll make those decisions.”
Bowles said general manager Mike Maccagnan supports his decision, although it does not really matter. The Jets’ power structure leaves all depth-chart decisions up to Bowles.
With five games left, the Jets still are trying to win.
“We’re all fighters,” Bowles said. “We’re all trying to win every game, whether we’re trying to get to 8-8 or whether we’re trying to be 16-0. We’re trying to win. It’s not about Bryce. It’s not about Fitz. It’s about our team trying to win ballgames. Right now, Fitz is our starter. He gives us a good chance to win. Bryce is getting better. He got a lot of experience against the Rams. He’ll get more experience as time goes on, just not right now.”