Content available exclusively for subscribers
Morris County – So the Jets are going with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Good move? Bad move? Here is what I’m thinking about this hip topic …
Here is how the beginning of today’s press conference went down . . .
Q)Have you made a decision on who will start at quarterback against New England?
Bowles: Yes.
Q)Who will start at quarterback against New England…
Bowles: Fitzpatrick.
Q)Why Fitzpatrick will start…
Bowles: He’s healthy.
Q)What gives him confidence in Fitzpatrick….
Bowles: He’s been playing all year. He knows more of the system. We can do more things with him. He’s been the starter. I don’t give away jobs. You have to take a job. Bryce (Petty) has gotten better. He’ll be ready to play if called upon.
This went on for quite some time.
There is an obsession with some in the media and many in fan base for Bryce Petty to play the rest of the season to see what he can do.
Why is this?
“They can’t lose with that angle,” said one New York long-time sportswriter. “If Petty plays well, the Jets have their future quarterback. If he doesn’t play well, then the team gets a high draft pick. It’s a win-win.”
I agree with Bowles. He’s not ready. And I think there is a good chance he gets hurt if he’s given the last six games. His internal clock needs to speed up. Like a lot of young quarterbacks, he’s not making quick decisions.
Did you see rookie QB Cody Kessler suffered his second concussion in Cleveland? Holding the ball too long. Not processing fast enough. Last year, Marcus Mariota took a beating in Tennessee.
Petty still needs a lot of work on processing defenses and making quicker decisions.
How do you think a guy who isn’t trusting his eyes would do against Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia’s defense on Sunday? How do you think that would work out?
Look, I’m not writing off Petty. Not at all. But it’s time to put him back on ice for a while. This isn’t NFL Europe. No matter what their record, the Jets need to win a game. I think they can give New England a fight, especially with two weeks to prepare. If they pull off an upset, it would be great for the morale of their whole organization. I don’t think an upset is possible with Petty, who is swimming right now.
Plus, Bowles knows the Jets problems this year are numerous. Fitz should not be the main scapegoat. There is so much blame to go around.
This isn’t the time to start Petty .. .
I was interviewing Jets punt Lachlan Edwards today and told me needs to improve his consistency. While doing the interview, I noticed this player a few lockers down who I didn’t recognize at first.
It was Devin Smith.
The reason I didn’t recognize him is because of how ripped he was in the upper body. He came to the Jets skinny as a rail. During his knee rehab, he lived in the weight room, and now he looks like a guy who lives in Gold’s Gym.
I’m not lying. I truly didn’t know who it was at first.
This added muscle and power should help him a great deal on the field.
November 21, 2016
Premium will return by Wednesday at 9:30 pm.
