New York Jets starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is listed as a game-time decision for Sunday. This makes no sense.
Finally, the New York Jets were handed a gift from the football gods last Sunday when starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick injured his knee against the Miami Dolphins.This was an easy way out — a way to turn to the future without spurning the present. At 3-6, using the Fitz injury as a very legitimate reason to turn to young Bryce Petty seemed completely legitimate and realistic.
Unfortunately, this is not how the Jets operate. Instead, they are clinging on to hope that Fitz can be healthy enough this Sunday.
Fitz is listed as a game-time decision for his team’s Week 10 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium, as per Colin Stephenson of ESPN.
“He’s getting better,” Bowles said of Fitzpatrick, who suffered a left knee injury in last Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins in Miami. “We’ll warm him up Sunday and I’ll make a decision.”
Petty, while not named the starter quite yet, understands his role.
“I’ve been in that role before, of a backup, in college (behind Robert Griffin III), so I think that’s helped me a lot for this kind of situation,” Petty said Friday. “It’s important as to how you prepare, and how you go about things. But for me, nothing changes. It’s still exactly the same, just like I would start. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, then I’ll be ready whenever that time comes.”
It just doesn’t make sense. Never should a head coach or team give up wins with an eye towards the future. This is why we’ve continued to promote Fitz as the starter until the seventh loss came in the standings.
However, thanks to the shaky status by way of the knee injury, this was a no-brainer decision in going to Petty. New York should have named the second-year Baylor product the starter early and week and prepared as such.
Without the injury, sticking with Fitzpatrick is understood. But reality called for Petty.
This is just another example of the Jets getting it wrong.