The New York Jets haven’t had quarterback play like this in over a decade with Josh McCown at the helm. Boy Green explains.
I was met with laughter when I said Josh McCown looked solid for 99 percent of the season opener by my co-host, Ty Butler, on my weekly radio show, “The Jets Zone”.Well laugh it up chuckles, because despite losing 45-20 to the Oakland Raiders in Week 2, McCown was impressive once again. How impressive was he?
So much so that he ended up with the third highest QBR in all of the NFL, according to ESPN analytics:
“McCown had two big plays while the game was still close that boosted his QBR. First, he hit Jermaine Kearse for a 34-yard touchdown on a third down to cut the Jets’ deficit to 14-7. Second, he scrambled for 22 yards on a third-and-18 to keep alive a drive that ended with a Jets field goal to get to 21-13. That was the high point, however, as the Jets’ defense allowed the next 28 points. Overall, McCown’s solid play on third down (see first pass plot chart below) helped propel him near the top of this list.”
I’m not saying to end the search for a franchise quarterback, but he’s exactly what the Jets have been looking for in the meantime: A veteran quarterback who won’t lose you games and has a good attitude about the situation.
So let’s get to my bold headline that McCown is Jets best quarterback in last decade. He doesn’t turn the ball over at a ridiculously high clip like other Jets quarterbacks have.
Here’s the past decade of starting quarterbacks for the Jets:
| Year | Player | Passing Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 2,710 | 12 | 17 |
| 2015 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 3,905 | 31 | 15 |
| 2014 | Geno Smith | 2,525 | 13 | 13 |
| 2014 | Michael Vick | 604 | 3 | 2 |
| 2013 | Geno Smith | 3,046 | 12 | 21 |
| 2012 | Mark Sanchez | 2,883 | 13 | 18 |
| 2012 | Greg McElroy | 214 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | Mark Sanchez | 3,474 | 26 | 13 |
| 2010 | Mark Sanchez | 3,291 | 17 | 30 |
| 2009 | Mark Sanchez | 2,444 | 12 | 20 |
| 2008 | Brett Favre | 3,472 | 22 | 22 |
| 2007 | Chad Pennington | 1,765 | 10 | 9 |
| 2007 | Kellen Clemens | 1,529 | 5 | 10 |
If you look at the stats, you may say that Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015 is the best. He had a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and, contrary to McCown, the Jets were winning games. I’d say you have to look at the full scope. Fast forward a year and what was Fitzpatrick? A drama queen, a locker room cancer who robbed the Jets of millions of dollars.
In only three out of the last 10 seasons have the Jets had a quarterback with more touchdowns than interceptions. That’s sad.If you take it a step further and factor in fumbles, that number may be even less. So it’s not like we have a bunch of options to choose from.
It’s a small sample size so far, understandably so, but in hot take-esque fashion, I’ll predict that McCown becomes the fourth Jets quarterback in the last 11 years to end with more touchdowns than interceptions.
Not just that, but he’s going to be a steadying force, as long as he’s starting at quarterback. He’s got a veteran savvy and he isn’t the drama queen that some of these other quarterbacks have been. Plus he’s going to eventually secede the job to Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg, or both.
McCown is good enough to compete but ultimately lose and continue the Jets’ losing narrative. Just look at his 2-22 record in his last 24 starts. So the Jets are all for him being the best of the last decade because he fits the plan: Stay competitive but lose to ensure a high draft pick next year.
