" Jets QB Situation Is Clear " ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

Waddle: Jets only going as far as Fitzpatrick

ESPN NFL analyst Tom Waddle covers the Bears' victory over the Lions, what is keeping the Jets from being a playoff caliber team...

>     http://espn.go.com/espnradio/playPopup?id=13922927

[kelly]

— Ryan Fitzpatrick is still a flawed quarterback; there's just no getting around that. It was true before he got to the Jets, it was true with the way he's played this season, and it was true again Sunday, when the Jets beat Washington, 34-20, at MetLife Stadium to run their record to 4-1 heading into Sunday's Big Game at the hated Patriots.

But, in the interest of fairness, I'm coming right out and saying it: Fitzpatrick turned in his finest performance of the season against Washington.

Let's start with the passing numbers: 19 of 26 passing, 253 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, a quarterback rating of 113.1, a Total QBR of 99.0. Let's add in the rushing totals: four rushes for 31 yards and a touchdown, including an 18-yard dash up the middle for a TD that gave the Jets a 20-13 lead in the third quarter. They never looked back.

The Jets had offensive balance—253 passing  yards, 221 rushing yards—and all the pieces seemed to fit together. Those pieces are running back Chris Ivory (196 yards from scrimmage, including 146 on the ground) and wideouts Brandon Marshall (fourth-straight 100-yard receiving game, the first Jet since Don Maynard in 1968 to do that) and Eric Decker (four catches, 59 yards, one touchdown).But Fitzparick also wasn't sacked—his sack rate is now down to 1.17 percent, best in the league. The Jets aren't explosive with him, but they are efficient. Fitzpatrick's Total QBR for the season is 76.6, which is fifth-best in the NFL. Seriously.

What Fitzpatrick did well : Other than when he tried to force a throw to Marshall's back shoulder in the second quarter, resulting in an interception after Marshall tipped it into the hands of cornerback Bashaud Breeland, Fitzpatrick didn't force anything. He was also largely accurate; he threw low for Marshall in the third quarter, but Marshall bailed him out by reaching down and turning to take the throw for an unlikely 35-yard touchdown. Fitzpatrick's 35-yard completion to Eric Decker in the first quarter, two plays before Ivory's 1-yard touchdown run, was a terrific throw:

Fitzpatrick was especially good when Washington pressured him: 8-for-11 for 117 yards and two touchdowns when pressured, according to Pro Football Focus. Fitzpatrick also got rid of the ball quickly—an average of 2.34 seconds, per Pro Football Focus. Among NFL starters on Sunday, only the Titans' Marcus Mariota and the Bengals' Andy  Dalton delivered throws faster. And Fitzpatrick can run! He now has 65 rushing yards on 13 carries in his last two games.

What Fitzpatrick didn't do well : There was the interception and the underthrown ball Marshall transformed into a touchdown, as mentioned above. But Fitzpatrick also never bothered to throw the ball downfield much; he had no throws of 20 yards or more, and he was just 4 of 7 with a touchdown and an interception on throws from 10 to 19 yards. But those four completions accounted for 101 of his 253 passing yards. Sixteen of his 26 throws went to Marshall and Decker. The Jets aren't even pretending to throw to their tight ends anymore; just one target total for Kellen Davis and Jeff Cumberland. But you know what? It's working.

Grade : B+

>   http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/ryan_fitzpatrick_has_best_game_as_jet_vs_washingto.html#incart_river

[kelly]

— Dan Fouts is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who spent 15 seasons as a prolific quarterback for the Chargers, so he knows a thing or two about playing the position.And he likes what he sees from Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, though he also said Fitzpatrick has lots of good help around him."He's calmed the position down for the first time in years," Fouts said in a phone interview with NJ Advance Media on Thursday. "There's no drama involved with Fitzpatrick."

Fouts will call Sunday's Jets-Patriots game for CBS along with Ian Eagle and sideline reporter Evan Washburn.

Fitzpatrick, a 32-year-old journeyman, has been effective though five games, though he's not without his flaws. He's completed 62.6 percent of his passes and thrown for nine touchdowns against seven interceptions. His Total QBR (76.6) ranks fifth in the league. He's only been sacked twice, the lowest total in the league. And he's coming off his best game of the season Sunday against Washington.But Fitzpatrick has also struggled to throw deep—just 4-for-25 with three interceptions on throws of 20 yards or more, per Pro Football Focus. Fifty-five of Fitzpatrick's 107 completions (51 percent) have gone to wideouts Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. And Fitzpatrick has teetered with some forced throws that were awfully close to being interceptions.

Fouts said having Marshall and Decker is advantageous because it means Fitzpatrick doesn't have to be perfect. The nimble play Marshall made on his 35-yard touchdown catch against Washington is a prime example of that."When you've got tall, physical receivers [like] Decker and Marshall, it gives the quarterback confidence because you don't have to be so exact," Fouts said. "They have a huge catch radius, they use their bodies to get position, and I think that's helped Fitzpatrick a lot.

"It looks like they're really on the same wavelength, too. They work well together."It helps, too, that the Jets have running back Chris Ivory, whose 460 rushing yards and 5.5 yards per carry in just four games played has had an enormous impact on the offense, which ranks 10th in DVOA (5.4 percent), per Football Outsiders.

"It all starts with Ivory and the running game," Fouts said.

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/hall_of_fame_quarterback_dan_fouts_on_jets_ryan_fi.html#incart_river

[kelly]

-- Beneath Geno Smith's shoulder pads was a gray, sweat-soaked cutoff T-shirt with a few words printed across the front: "Upper cut, right, left, lights out."

You could read a lot into Smith's fashion statement, considering what happened in training camp -- that infamous day in which his jaw got in the way of IK Enemkpali's fist. From all indications, it was lights out with one punch, costing Smith his job as the starting quarterback of the New York Jets.That shirt also could be doomsday forecast for the remainder of the Jets' season, depending on the results of the Monday-morning medical evaluations -- Smith's left shoulder and to Ryan Fitzpatrick's left thumb.

The Jets took a double-hit to the quarterback position in Sunday's 34-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum, losing Fitzpatrick (torn ligaments) to a potential serious injury and, possibly, Smith. Worst-case scenario: It's a repeat of Sept. 25, 2005, the day they lost Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler to season-ending injuries. Chances are, it won't be that dire, but there are indications Fitzpatrick -- in the midst of career year at age 32 -- will be lost for at least a few games. The thumb injury might be on his non-throwing hand, but a quarterback needs to two hands to receive snaps and a good left hand to execute handoffs to the right side.

What it means is the Jets (4-3), suddenly reeling with a two-game losing streak, may have to entrust their season to Smith. They're back to the future, and it has to be better than his past or else the Jets are cooked.“Every chance I get to step on the field is a way for me to prove my worth to whoever’s watching -- to whoever wants to evaluate it," he said after his season debut, sounding like he's auditioning for a 2016 job with another organization.The positive view of Smith is that, before his jaw was busted by Enemkpali, he was having a strong training camp and was poised to become the opening-day starter. It was all set up for him. Fitzpatrick wasn't in the picture. Everything changed in a split-second, as it so often does for the Jets and their quarterbacks. You can look back to Vinny Testaverde's ruptured Achilles' in 1999, Pennington's many injuries and, of course, Mark Sanchez's season-ending shoulder injury in the 2013 preseason.

Out went Smith, in came the bearded man from Harvard. Fitzpatrick won games and won the respect of his teammates, playing the role of game manager. Then he took off on scramble on the sixth play of the game and his left thumb was twisted in a tackle by the ageless Charles Woodson. Just like that, the fickle finger of fate had torn ligaments. Fitzpatrick said he couldn't grip a football in his left hand.

"It was a body blow," wide receiver Jeremy Kerley said.

The game ended there for the Jets, who played their worst game under Todd Bowles. After nearly three months in moth balls, Smith (27-for-42, 265 yards) enjoyed a few promising moments, but he also demonstrated a lack of awareness by throwing a careless interception, taking three sacks and taking too many unnecessary hits. He took on a cornerback instead of running out of bounds, injuring his shoulder.

"A bonehead play," Smith admitted.

We've seen plenty of those over the last years. On this day, he entered a 0-0 game, but he wasn't the answer. He was rusty. After all, it was his first football game since last December. Taking the optimistic view, maybe the time away from the action did some good. Maybe it changed his perspective."It's been a long offseason for him, listening to the noise, hearing the noise," Brandon Marshall said of Smith. "It was a tough camp for the obvious reason. For him to come in and fight through it, I'm just so proud of the kid. A lot of people would've folded."

Three months ago, Smith was sucker-punched. Now he has to show everyone he's a fighter. If not, it could be lights out for the Jets.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55641/time-for-geno-smith-back-from-the-punch-to-show-some-fight

[kelly]

The New York Jets are not interested in signing Ryan Mallett to assist injured quarterbacks Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

On Sunday, Fitzpatrick started for the Jets, but left early in the game with torn ligaments in his left thumb. He was forced to return when Smith sustained injuries to his shoulder and abdomen. Third-string quarterback Bryce Petty was listed as inactive.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported during the game that the Jets had begun looking at available quarterbacks, but Mallett reportedly won't be considered. The Houston Texans cut Mallett last week after he missed the team’s flight to Miami before their Week 7 game against the Dolphins.

>    http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/11/02/new-york-jets-ryan-mallett-geno-smith-ryan-fitzpatrick

[kelly]

Maybe Todd Bowles should call in Joe Girardi for a sliding tutorial, as Rex Ryan once did in 2009. Quite obviously, the New York Jets' quarterbacks need help in this area.

The Jets have two injured quarterbacks, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith, and Bowles isn't happy because he believes they could've avoided contact."In both cases, they both should've slid," the Jets coach said Monday. "I'll say that again. It's competition, and these guys, in the heat of the battle, it's hard to slide. But you've got to be smarter than that for the good of the team. You can't fault the competitiveness. We just have to be a lot smarter."

Fitzpatrick tore a ligament in his non-throwing thumb on a 12-yard scramble. He was tackled by Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson, and his thumb got caught on Woodson's body as they went down.

"Kind of a fluke thing," Fitzpatrick said after the game.

Fitzpatrick is an underrated scrambler -- he made some key plays over the first six games -- but also has been told by the coaches to be careful and whenever possible, slide.

Smith made a downright reckless decision Sunday at the end of a 29-yard run. Instead of running out of bounds, he took on cornerback David Amerson, who blew up Smith with a bone-rattling hit. Smith suffered a badly bruised left shoulder; it's a miracle it wasn't dislocated.

"A bonehead play," Smith admitted.

Fans will recall Mark Sanchez's sliding problems as a rookie in 2009. Addressing the issue, Ryan invited the New York Yankees' manager to the Jets' facility to teach sliding. Sure enough, Girardi showed up for Sliding 101.

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55683/todd-bowles-says-qb-injuries-couldve-been-avoided-by-sliding

[kelly]

— It's difficult to imagine how much could have been expected of Geno Smith once he was thrust into action just six plays into the Jets' 34-20 loss at the Raiders on Sunday at O.co Coliseum.

Smith finally made his 2015 debut because of a thumb injury to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Smith had not played a live NFL game—preseason or regular season—in 11 months. He had had any reps with the first team since the second week of August. And his center, Wesley Johnson, who played because mainstay Nick Mangold had a neck injury, was making his NFL debut at a position he hadn't played in four years."I won't say it was perfect and he knows that," wide receiver Eric Decker said. "It's a tough situation when you aren't getting the majority of the reps in practice. They haven't had that chemistry since the beginning of the preseason or training camp."

So the deck was stacked largely against Smith. It also didn't help that the Jets' defense, right from the jump, was hardly up to the task of stopping what really is a young, loaded Raiders offense. That meant the Jets had to abandon the run early—running back Chris Ivory had just eight of his 15 carries after the Jets' first possession, which is not how the Jets' offense likes to operate.There was good and bad in Smith's performance, which factored out to 27 of 42 passing for 265 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a Total QBR of 66.2; Smith also rushed twice for 34 yards and was sacked three times.

Let's take a closer look.

What Smith did well. He didn't make any devastating turnovers, which is always a plus when talking about Smith. Even his lone interception—a brutal throw into double coverage that was picked off by ageless safety Charles Woodson—wasn't damaging, as the Raiders followed it by missing a 53-yard field goal. But Smith led the Jets to 20 points against a Raiders team with an outstanding pass rush—and Smith did this even though the Jets made no effort to run the ball for much of the game. If he relied too much on throwing to wideout Brandon Marshall (18 targets), so be it; Fitzpatrick has looked in Marshall's direction a lot, too. But Decker and wideouts Kenbrell Thompkins and Jeremy Kerley combined for 16 catches, and Smith even threw a touchdown pass to tight end Kellen Davis, for which there should have been an immediate on-field ceremony, considering how little the Jets use their tight ends as pass catchers. Per Pro Football Focus, Smith was pressured in 18 of his 47 dropbacks but had a 104.0 passer rating on those plays. That's a step in the right direction for a guy who had turned it over 41 times in his first two seasons.

What Smith did not do well. There was the bad pick mentioned above, though there proved to be no consequences from it. But when the Jets needed Smith to rally them with a fourth-quarter drive after he got them within two touchdowns, the offense stalled and sputtered. There were at least two times when Smith was flushed from the pocket and held the ball too long and took a sack when it would have been much better to throw it away. He showed a lack of touch a handful of times, especially downfield. Smith was successful when checking underneath—19 of 23 on throws of fewer than nine yards, per Pro Football Focus—but noticeably less so when he really had to chuck it. Fans might not have liked Smith's performance, and they'd be (mostly) right about that. But the Jets lost this game because of their defense, first and foremost. And if Fitzpatrick's injury is serious enough to keep him out this week (and perhaps beyond), Smith would still be the Jets' next-best option, no matter who they might trade for or pluck off the street. That's assuming Smith's own bruised (non-throwing) shoulder won't keep him from playing Sunday against the Jaguars.

Grade: C

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/geno_smith_wasnt_awful_in_jets_loss_to_oakland_rai.html#incart_river

[kelly]

The Jets’ quarterback situation remained murky Monday with both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith described as “day to day” by coach Todd Bowles.

At this point, it is anyone’s guess who will start Sunday against the Jaguars.

Fitzpatrick has a torn ligament in his left thumb that will require surgery at some point, but he can play through it depending on how much pain he is in. Smith has a bruised left shoulder, but no structural damage. His pain tolerance also will determine whether he can play.If neither Fitzpatrick or Smith can play, the Jets will either turn to rookie Bryce Petty or bring another quarterback in either through free agency or via trade. The NFL trading deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m.

“We’re looking at everything right now,” Bowles said.

Fitzpatrick left Sunday’s 34-20 loss to the Raiders during the first series of the game. He injured the thumb on a scramble when Oakland safety Charles Woodson reached in to try to strip the ball and bent Fitzpatrick’s thumb back. Bowles said Fitzpatrick can delay surgery until after the season if he can live with the pain. The Jets will have him take snaps on Wednesday and Thursday to see how much pain he is in.“You can’t just live in the shotgun,” Bowles said. “You have to be able to take snaps under center, as well as handing the ball off both ways. With his right hand, I’m sure he can hand it off pretty good, but then you have a problem with the left hand. That will be a challenge if he’s in pain.”

Smith played most of the game Sunday, but suffered shoulder and abdomen injuries and left the game for two plays in the fourth quarter. The abdomen injury is not serious, but he suffered a bad bruise on the shoulder.“If he progresses during the week, there’s a chance he could [play Sunday],” Bowles said.

Bowles said he was not more confident in one over the other being ready. He said his confidence that one will be ready is “not very high” right now, but said it’s early in the week.“I really think they’re both in the same boat right now,” Bowles said. “It really depends on how they heal and progress during the week.”Petty was the team’s fourth-round pick this spring. He had some good moments during the preseason, but is considered a year away from being able to play as he learns an NFL-style offense. He has not played at all in the regular season, but was the backup to Fitzpatrick for the first two games while Smith was out with a broken jaw.

Bowles said Petty will take snaps with the first team this week to prepare him.

The Jets have been talking about outside options at the position, as well. With the trade deadline Tuesday, teams may be willing to move their backups. The Buccaneers’ Mike Glennon and the Titans’ Zach Metterberger make sense as those teams turned to rookie starters this year. The Redskins may be willing to move Robert Griffin III, but he is a risk because his $16.2 million salary in 2016 becomes guaranteed if he is injured.In terms of free agents, Bowles admitted the team has talked about bringing back Matt Flynn, who spent a few weeks with the Jets in training camp after Smith broke his jaw.Bowles said the Jets will have things in the game plan this week designed for Petty or for a quarterback coming in from outside the organization.

Bowles again expressed his disappointment in his quarterbacks failing to slide and avoid big hits.“I thought in both cases they both should have slid. I’ll say that again,” Bowles said. “The competition in those guys, in the heat of battle it’s hard to tell, but we’ve got to be smarter than that for the good of the team. You can’t fault their competitiveness. We’ve just got to be a lot smarter.”

>     http://nypost.com/2015/11/02/bryce-petty-among-number-of-jets-starting-qb-possibilities/

[kelly]

The Jets’ top two passers, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith, have a known aversion to ending their rushing attempts by sliding feet-first to the turf, as NFL quarterbacks typically do to avoid getting hit.

That reluctance to protect themselves on running plays was bound to hurt the Jets, and now it has. Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that both quarterbacks injured themselves in Sunday’s 34-20 loss in Oakland, and that both could miss next week’s home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fitzpatrick tore a ligament in his non-throwing thumb during a first-quarter scramble, and Smith bruised his non-throwing shoulder in a fourth-quarter collision.

Bowles said he’d have an better idea of their status when the team practices on Wednesday.

For now, Bowles said the Jets might be forced to start rookie fourth-round pick Bryce Petty or a quarterback they can acquire quickly via trade or free agency. “We have Bryce and we’re looking at some others,” Bowles said.Whoever the Jets quarterback turns out to be, he may be missing a valuable weapon in receiver Brandon Marshall, who suffered ankle and toe injuries in Oakland. Bowles said he wasn’t sure whether Marshall could play next Sunday.

Fitzpatrick, an 11-year NFL veteran, has said he has never felt comfortable sliding. “We’ll send him to baseball school in the off-season,” Bowles quipped two weeks ago, after Fitzpatrick finished an 18-yard run against the Washington Redskins with a headfirst dive into the end zone.Fitzpatrick, who tore the thumb ligament on a thrilling 12-yard scramble Sunday, will likely require surgery at some point, but it could wait until after the season. There is a chance he could play Sunday. “It’s a matter of pain level,” Bowles said, adding that he wasn’t especially confident that either quarterback will be able to play next week.

Bowles said that because the injury is to the non-throwing hand, Fitzpatrick could still throw and catch shotgun snaps without a problem. But he might not be able to handle snaps under center or hand off with his left hand, which would limit the offense. “You can’t just live in the shotgun,” Bowles said.Smith, who completed 27 of 42 pass attempts for 265 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in relief of Fitzpatrick, was hurt in the fourth quarter when Raiders cornerback David Amerson leveled him after a 29-yard run. Smith conceded after the game that he should have stepped out of bounds and avoided the contact. Bowles said Monday that Smith has a left shoulder bruise, but no structural damage.

Quarterback Geno Smith, playing in place of the inured Ryan Fitzpatrick injured his left shoulder on a fourth-quarter scramble against the Raiders. Meanwhile, the Jets are looking at free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn, who was briefly with the Jets during training camp and completed 10 of 14 pass attempts for 136 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a preseason game.

But the Jets might be more comfortable with Petty, since he has been studying the team’s playbook for months now. In four preseason games, Petty completed 27 of 45 pass attempts for 260 yards and one touchdown. Bowles said Monday that he was confident that the rookie was ready.

“I’ll don’t think he’ll panic in the situation,” he said. “At the same time, you’ve got to scale back the offense.”

>      http://www.wsj.com/articles/with-fitzpatrick-and-smith-uncertain-jets-looking-at-petty-for-sunday-1446508259?ru=yahoo?mod=yahoo_itp

[kelly]

Can Ryan Fitzpatrick play a football game with a torn ligament in his non-throwing thumb? It'll be tough, but it wouldn't be unprecedented.

Carson Palmer did it for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2009. He suffered ligament damage in Week 5, yet he started every game, led the Bengals to a division title and made the Pro Bowl. As soon as the season was over, with a playoff loss to the New York Jets, Palmer announced he was having thumb surgery.Fitzpatrick, too, will need surgery at some point, according to coach Todd Bowles. No two injuries are exactly the same, but are some obvious similarities between the Fitzpatrick and Palmer situations. That Palmer needed surgery is an indication it wasn't just a minor thing.

Palmer wore a black, protective glove on his left hand for the remainder of the season, learning to execute right-side handoffs with his right hand. It's unorthodox, but it worked, as the Bengals finished ninth in total rushing. The center-quarterback exchange had to be uncomfortable, but he adjusted his hand alignment to soften the blow.

Bowles has yet to rule out Fitzpatrick for Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"Until I see him take some snaps, there’s a chance he could play Sunday," Bowles said Monday. "It’s all according to his pain tolerance. We’ll try to get him some snaps on Wednesday and Thursday and see. Under center will be the big thing, I don’t think the (shotgun) will be the problem, but we’ll have to look at him take some snaps."

Fitzpatrick and Palmer are friends -- they were teammates in 2007 and 2008 -- so it wouldn't be a surprise if Fitzpatrick reaches out this week for some advice.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55712/jets-qb-ryan-fitzpatrick-can-call-ex-mate-carson-palmer-for-thumb-tip

[Patriot Killa]

The Jets’ top two passers, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith, have a known aversion to ending their rushing attempts by sliding feet-first to the turf, as NFL quarterbacks typically do to avoid getting hit.

That reluctance to protect themselves on running plays was bound to hurt the Jets, and now it has. Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that both quarterbacks injured themselves in Sunday’s 34-20 loss in Oakland, and that both could miss next week’s home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fitzpatrick tore a ligament in his non-throwing thumb during a first-quarter scramble, and Smith bruised his non-throwing shoulder in a fourth-quarter collision.

Bowles said he’d have an better idea of their status when the team practices on Wednesday.

For now, Bowles said the Jets might be forced to start rookie fourth-round pick Bryce Petty or a quarterback they can acquire quickly via trade or free agency. “We have Bryce and we’re looking at some others,” Bowles said.Whoever the Jets quarterback turns out to be, he may be missing a valuable weapon in receiver Brandon Marshall, who suffered ankle and toe injuries in Oakland. Bowles said he wasn’t sure whether Marshall could play next Sunday.

Fitzpatrick, an 11-year NFL veteran, has said he has never felt comfortable sliding. “We’ll send him to baseball school in the off-season,” Bowles quipped two weeks ago, after Fitzpatrick finished an 18-yard run against the Washington Redskins with a headfirst dive into the end zone.Fitzpatrick, who tore the thumb ligament on a thrilling 12-yard scramble Sunday, will likely require surgery at some point, but it could wait until after the season. There is a chance he could play Sunday. “It’s a matter of pain level,” Bowles said, adding that he wasn’t especially confident that either quarterback will be able to play next week.

Bowles said that because the injury is to the non-throwing hand, Fitzpatrick could still throw and catch shotgun snaps without a problem. But he might not be able to handle snaps under center or hand off with his left hand, which would limit the offense. “You can’t just live in the shotgun,” Bowles said.Smith, who completed 27 of 42 pass attempts for 265 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in relief of Fitzpatrick, was hurt in the fourth quarter when Raiders cornerback David Amerson leveled him after a 29-yard run. Smith conceded after the game that he should have stepped out of bounds and avoided the contact. Bowles said Monday that Smith has a left shoulder bruise, but no structural damage.

Quarterback Geno Smith, playing in place of the inured Ryan Fitzpatrick injured his left shoulder on a fourth-quarter scramble against the Raiders. Meanwhile, the Jets are looking at free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn, who was briefly with the Jets during training camp and completed 10 of 14 pass attempts for 136 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a preseason game.

But the Jets might be more comfortable with Petty, since he has been studying the team’s playbook for months now. In four preseason games, Petty completed 27 of 45 pass attempts for 260 yards and one touchdown. Bowles said Monday that he was confident that the rookie was ready.

“I’ll don’t think he’ll panic in the situation,” he said. “At the same time, you’ve got to scale back the offense.”

>      http://www.wsj.com/articles/with-fitzpatrick-and-smith-uncertain-jets-looking-at-petty-for-sunday-1446508259?ru=yahoo?mod=yahoo_itp

Its 1:33 right now. No word on a trade and the deadline is 4. Maybe they like Bryce for the starting spot.

[kelly]

Ryan Fitzpatrick has ligament damage in his left thumb and he’ll eventually need surgery to fix it. Geno Smith has a big bone bruise on his left shoulder, but he did escape structural damage. And while Todd Bowles listed both signal callers as day-to-day, rookie QB Bryce Petty could be in line to make his first NFL start Sunday when the Jets host the Jacksonville Jaguars at MeLife Stadium.“We have confidence in Bryce,” Bowles said today during a conference call. “Obviously he doesn’t know what Ryan knows, he doesn’t know what Geno knows, but he knows a good portion of our offense that he can function and go in there and play the game.”

Stressing that it’s still early in the week, Bowles said his confidence wasn’t “very high” that either Fitzpatrick or Smith would be available against the Jags.“I really think they’re both in the same boat right now,” he said. “It all depends how they heal and progress during the week."

Fitzpatrick, who has completed 61.9% of his passes with 11 TD and 7 INT this season, talked Sunday about having difficulty gripping the ball after he went down early in the 34-20 loss to the Raiders.“You can’t just live in the shotgun. You have to be able to take snaps under center as well as handing the ball off both ways,” Bowles said. “With his right hand, I’m sure he can hand it off pretty good. But then you have a problem with the left hand too, so that will be a challenge.”

After Fitzpatrick exited, Smith completed 27 of 42 passes against the Raiders for 265 yards with 2 TD and 1 INT.  Fitzpatrick took over the starting job after an August locker room altercation left Smith with a broken jaw.“I think he’s given them a calmness and the ability for those guys to go out and know he’s going to put them in the right place and the right situation,” Bowles said of Fitzpatrick. “But I though Geno came in and showed a bunch of leadership as well. It’s important if you have a young team – I think it’s important on any team because it creates chemistry and better chemistry. But we have some veteran guys over there that understand what it takes to win, so I think they’ll be okay if he doesn’t play.”Both Fitzpatrick and Smith sustained their injuries on QB runs. Fitz delivered some magic on a third-and-eight, gaining 12 but rose to his feet holding his left hand. And then later in the fourth quarter, Smith scrambled for 29 yards up the Jets’ sideline before absorbing a vicious shot from Raiders DB David Amerson.

“In both cases, they both should have slid and I’ll say that again,” Bowles said. “Competition and in the heat of battle it’s hard to tell, but we have to be smarter than that for good of the team. But you can’t fault the competitiveness. We just have to be a lot smarter.”

Despite the injury coming on Smith’s non-throwing shoulder, Bowles said the Jets would proceed with caution.“You’re still a little bit wary because again if he takes another hit like that, he can get the same result or possibly worse,” he said. “So you’re still wary about it even though it’s not the throwing arm."

The Jets, who are exploring all their options at QB, have discussed re-signing Matt Flynn. The veteran, a career 61.3% passer, was in camp with the Jets this summer and played well in the preseason finale against the Eagles.“I don’t think he’ll panic if he’ll be the guy. I don’t think he’ll panic in those situation, but you still have to scale back the offense in the same way if you had Bryce in there or even more so. At least Bryce has been here all the time,” Bowles said. “Matt understands and he’s savvy and he’s a veteran.  So if you bring in one of those types of guys from a confidence level of keeping calm is one thing, but a confidence level of expanding the playbook will be totally different.”

While it’s clearly not an ideal situation, Bowles served as a defensive coordinator for a Cardinals club last year that lost Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton to injury and was still able to grab a playoff spot.“There are going to be injuries in the league," said Bowles. The fact that both quarterbacks are down – we had them both down in Arizona last year, so I’ve kind of been through it. We just have to rally as a team and not put so much weight on that position. We have to play better everywhere else.”

>    http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Injuries-Could-Force-Petty-into-Starting-Role/b8c9075d-39d2-4e88-909e-e4e02e1f7b0b

[kelly]

Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

The Jets didn't make any trades before the NFL's 4 p.m. deadline. As a matter of fact, there were no trades across the league. If the Jets add quarterback insurance, it will come via free agency or another team's practice squad. At this point, Matt Flynn is a logical option.

>    http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/newyork-jets

[kelly]

-- The New York Jets' quarterback crisis took a turn for the better Wednesday -- based on the 30-minute practice period open to the media, that is.

Starter Ryan Fitzpatrick (left thumb) and backup Geno Smith (left shoulder) participated in the early portion of practice, neither one showing any ill effects from his injury.Fitzpatrick, who has at least one torn ligament in his non-throwing thumb, wore a protective glove. His throwing was fine; the biggest challenges will be taking the snap from under center and using his left hand to executive handoffs to his right side.In a limited window, Fitzpatrick was spotted taking snaps from center Wesley Johnson, who started last week for the injured Nick Mangold (neck). He seemed OK. He also was seen using his left hand on a handoff.

These were encouraging signs, no doubt, but it remains to be seen if -- or how much -- he participates in team drills. As Todd Bowles noted Monday, it will be a pain-tolerance issue for Fitzpatrick. If he can function with the discomfort, he'll start Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.Smith, whose left shoulder is bruised, also seemed fine during individual and positional drills. That the Jets didn't acquire another quarterback indicates the situation isn't as dire as it appeared on Sunday and Monday.

In other injury news, Mangold was wearing a helmet -- progress from last week -- but he wasn't doing any snapping. It appears he won't practice. Safety Calvin Pryor (ankle) won't practice. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall (ankle, toe) was working off to the side; he likely will sit out or be limited.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55747/thumbs-up-for-ryan-fitzpatrick-positive-signs-in-early-practice-drills

[kelly]

The Jets’ quarterback crisis looks like it may not be that big of a deal after all.

Both starter Ryan Fitzpatrick and backup Geno Smith were full participants Wednesday in the 30-minute window of practice the media is permitted to watch. It was a question whether either would be able to play this week against the Jaguars, but both looked fine.

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Fitzpatrick tore a ligament in his left thumb on the first series of Sunday’s 34-20 loss to the Raiders. Since the injury is on his non-throwing hand, the question was whether he could take snaps from under center and hand the ball off with his left hand. He did both during practice Wednesday and did not show any ill effects. He wore a glove on the hand, presumably with padding around the thumb.

Smith bruised his left shoulder in Sunday’s game and had to exit for two plays — Fitzpatrick briefly stepped in — before returning. He looks ready to go in case Fitzpatrick has a setback this week. At the moment, though, it looks as if Fitzpatrick will be ready to play.

>    http://nypost.com/2015/11/04/looks-like-jets-will-avoid-a-geno-smith-start/

[kelly]

Ryan Fitzpatrick to start at QB Sunday

Jets head coach Todd Bowles said that Ryan Fitzpatrick will be back under center Sunday against the Jaguars. Fitzpatrick left last week's game early with a left thumb injury. He is third in the NFL in total QBR for the season.

> http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/newyork-jets

[kelly]

- A few thoughts on New York Jets coach Todd Bowles' announcement that Ryan Fitzpatrick, despite having a torn ligament in his left thumb, will start on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars:

1. Frankly, I'm a little surprised Bowles clarified the situation so quickly. All he needed was one practice to determine Fitzpatrick is good to go for Sunday -- a mere two days after expressing pessimism. What can we read into this? It's pretty clear: Bowles would rather take his chances with a slightly compromised Fitzpatrick than a relatively healthy Geno Smith, whose bruised left shoulder appears fine. The gap between Fitzpatrick and Smith never has been greater.

2. Don't let that fancy Harvard education fool you. Fitzpatrick is a tough dude.

3. The Fitzpatrick news created a palpable sense of relief in the locker room. It's apparent from listening to players that Fitzpatrick has won their trust and they believe he gives them the best chance of winning. Some people might interpret that as an anti-Geno sentiment; I think it's more pro-Fitzpatrick. The Jets (4-3) have dropped two in a row and can't afford a loss on Sunday to the lowly Jaguars. The players know this, and they're grateful Fitzpatrick will be leading them.

4. Smith said he has mixed feelings: happy for Fitzpatrick, disappointed for himself. I came away from Smith's media session thinking he's really bummed about not getting the start this week. He said, "I understand what's going on" and the "message has been sent" that it's Fitzpatrick's job to lose, but you could hear some disappointment in his voice. He could have strengthened his cause by playing better against the Oakland Raiders. I think he knows his future is elsewhere.

5. Naturally, Fitzpatrick downplayed the potential impact of the injury, but it's fair to wonder whether the Jets will have to tweak their offense to compensate. Two concerns: Can he handle snaps from under center? Can he grip the ball in his left hand on handoffs to the right side? The Jets are in the shotgun formation about 55 percent of the time, which helps. What about the other 45 percent? An AFC personnel executive suggested the Jets use the pistol formation. If they do, it would be a departure for the Jets, who have run only 15 plays out of the pistol.

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55754/gap-between-ryan-fitzpatrick-and-geno-smith-wider-than-ever

[kelly]

— It's been a week in which the quarterbacks have been a focus for the Jets (imagine that), thanks to injuries to starter Ryan Fitzpatrick (non-throwing thumb) and backup Geno Smith (non-throwing shoulder).Both both are expected to be in uniform Sunday against the Jaguars at MetLife Stadium, with Fitzpatrick as the starter. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey on Thursday assessed his quarterbacks, and so much more.

A quick summary.

Fitzpatrick's injury limitations. Gailey said Fitzpatrick has been able to do what he normally does at practice. His mechanics are the same, snapping ought to be the same, handoffs ought to be the same, and taking shotgun snaps ought to be the same. The only issue? Fitzpatrick will wear a protective glove on his left hand, and he's consulted with Cardinals quarterback (and former Bengals teammate) Carson Palmer about how to adjust to the situation. So is there any issue at all? "It's just awkward to have something on your hand," Gailey said. "You just don't have the full range of everything, but he's adjusted very well."

• How Smith played against the Raiders. Gailey said Smith "did pretty good" for having to come off the bench six plays into the game after not having played in a game in 11 months. "I want him to slide or step out of bounds," Gailey said, referring to the play in which Smith injured his shoulder at the end of a long scramble. "And I don't want him to take those two sacks [in the fourth quarter]. But if you take two plays—the two sacks—he did pretty well." Asked if he was OK with the interception Smith threw into double coverage downfield in the second quarter, Gailey said, "Oh, yeah. I called it." 

rest of above article.. 

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/5_chan_gailey_jets_takeaways_no_issues_with_ryan_f.html#incart_river

[kelly]

Fitzpatrick could be fixed up by Sunday

Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick plans to play through a nagging finger injury Thursday night against upstate rival Buffalo. However, he could be injury-free in his next game against his former team, Houston.

>    http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/newyork-jets

[kelly]

 -- Only three months ago, the New York Jets were planning to go into the season with Geno Smith as their starting quarterback. One punch changed everything, and now the separation between him and Ryan Fitzpatrick is so great that the Jets are prepared to start Fitzpatrick and his surgically repaired left thumb over a healthy Smith in Sunday's gotta-have-it game against the Houston Texans.

On Monday, Todd Bowles said he hasn't made a final decision, but he indicated Fitzpatrick will start as long as he shows he can handle the post-op pain, meaning he shows up for Wednesday's practice and demonstrates the ability to take snaps and execute handoffs with his left hand. You get the feeling that they'd sooner use Fitzpatrick in shotgun on every play before entrusting Smith with the game and, possibly, their season.

The notion of giving Fitzpatrick a week off entered the coach's mind, but it didn't get very far.

"It was a thought, but it wasn't a serious thought," Bowles said. "Everything that was conveyed to us is that he'd probably be able to play if everything went well [in surgery] -- and everything went well. But you have to wait until Wednesday to see what his pain tolerance is."

Translation: It would have taken an amputation for Bowles to make a quarterback change this early in the week.

Two thumbs are better than one, but Bowles evidently doesn't believe Smith's eight other fingers (plus his right arm and head) can get the job done. No doubt, Fitzpatrick is the better man for the job, but there's always some gray area when the starter is less than 100 percent. At what point does Smith become the better option?Bowles can't afford to make the wrong decision. Maybe, if they were 6-3, he'd be more inclined to give Fitzpatrick a little extra time to heal. That luxury doesn't exist. Mired in a 1-3 slump, the Jets (5-4) are losing their margin for error. They can't give away a game against the very beatable Houston Texans (3-5), who face the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night.

As expected, Fitzpatrick -- three days removed from surgery -- didn't practice Monday. In fact, he remained at home, recuperating. Smart move. Bowles said he's "hopeful" that Fitzpatrick will practice on Wednesday and "hopeful" he will play on Sunday in Houston, but he wouldn't say it's etched in stone."I'm not sure," Bowles said. "I have to see how he looks and how he takes snaps. It would be unfair for me to say he's going to be fine. I'm not a doctor."

Bowles said it's conceivable that Fitzpatrick could practice only once (Friday) and get the start, depending on how he looks. If he doesn't practice at all, he's not playing, according to the coach.Fitzpatrick is coming off his worst game -- two interceptions in Rex Bowl I -- but he's still ranked seventh in the league in Total QBR (70.1). Smith made his season debut two weeks ago, replacing the injured Fitzpatrick, and it was a typical Geno performance -- a few nice throws, but a couple of moments that left people shaking their heads.

"I'm fine with him starting," said Bowles, responding to a hypothetical question. "He's made great progress. He's learned a lot under Ryan. He threw the ball well in Oakland for the most part, so if he has to play, we'll keep moving."

Clearly, Bowles would rather not see it come to that.

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/56171/jets-hope-pray-ryan-fitzpatrick-will-start-geno-smith-not-a-serious-option

[kelly]

— General manager Mike Maccagnan didn't exactly give Jets quarterback Geno Smith a ringing endorsement for the future on Wednesday.

"Geno is under contract for next year," Maccagnan said. "But I think we're just going to see how this thing progresses because we still have a little under half of the season left. Geno has done a good job so far, and we'll see how he progresses going forward."

Could this Smith's last season at One Jets Drive? It's not certain, but it is possible.

Smith, of course, was slated to be the Jets' starting quarterback this season. And early on in training camp, he looked like the better option compared to Ryan Fitzpatrick. But then came The Punch from IK Enemkpali, which broke Smith's jaw and effectively cost him his job as the starter.Smith's only opportunity to play this season came during a Week 8 loss at the Raiders, when Fitzpatrick tore a ligament in his left thumb on the sixth play from scrimmage. Smith wasn't awful—27-for-42, 265 yards, two touchdowns, one interception—but the Jets' defense was, and they wound up playing from behind most of the way.

Despite the injury and his subsequent surgery, Fitzpatrick has been able to keep playing otherwise. And barring some sort of additional serious injury to Fitzpatrick, it seems unlikely Smith will see the field again in the final seven games.Maccagnan said the Enemkpali punching incident—a situation head coach Todd Bowles and several veterans strongly hinted Smith could have diffused—did not alter his perception of Smith. "Not really, in fact, I think, if anything—and not really having been around the organization prior to this year,—I thought Geno handled it fairly well," Maccagnan said. "I think he's gone back [and] tried to focus on becoming a good football player and [gone] from there."

But what about Smith's future with the Jets? A 2013 second-round pick, Smith made 29 starts in his first two seasons. He didn't have a go-to receiver like Brandon Marshall—David Nelson was the Jets' second-leading pass-catcher in 2013, for crying out loud—but he turned the ball over 41 times, including 35 interceptions. And Maccagnan and Bowles were not with the Jets when Smith was drafted. 

This season was supposed to be Smith's chance to prove his worth. But now it's worth wondering whether that opportunity will ultimately come with the Jets.

Smith has one-year remaining on his rookie contract, at an inexpensive rate. His salary for next year is only $675,000 (plus a $414,491 workout bonus), and inone of that is guaranteed. His salary-cap charge, assuming he's on the 2016 roster, would be roughly $1.6 million. And by cutting him, the Jets would see roughly $1 million in cap savings, while eating approximately $507,000 in dead money.But would they want to cut him? Fitzpatrick is not under contract for 2016, and it's possible the Jets could try to re-sign him after the season. Smith could then be an inexpensive backup option again. But the Jets also have rookie Bryce Petty—"We like him from a potential standpoint," Maccagnan said—and depending on where Petty is with his development, the Jets might want to roll with him as the backup.

So: The Jets have options with Smith's future. But they also have the luxury of being able to make their decision one way or another without any costly consequences.

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/what_did_mike_maccagnan_say_about_geno_smiths_futu.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

Without a true franchise quarterback since Joe Namath, the New York Jets found that their stopgap veteran might just be their future under center ... not just now, but quite possibly for the foreseeable future. General manager Mike Maccagnan on Wednesday sounded like a man willing to commit to Fitzpatrick as this team's starting quarterback for the rest of 2015 and just maybe beyond that.Fitzpatrick hasn't rocked the world but he's certainly done just enough, taking over at starting quarterback after Geno Smith was knocked out by former Jets linebacker IK Enemkpali in a locker room fight during training camp. In his absence, Fitzpatrick has claimed the starting job and turned a passing offense that was worst in the league last year into a solid, mid-table unit. 

On Wednesday, Maccagnan addressed the media and talked about Fitzpatrick, a player he knew from his time with the Houston Texans prior to joining the Jets. He liked Fitzpatrick enough to make a trade with the Texans to obtain him and throw the veteran into the Jets quarterback pool. 

Now with the Jets at a solid 5-4, Fitzsanity is gripping green and white nation...sort of. 

"At the midseason point, we're very happy with what Ryan has done so far and what he has brought to this organization and the team. I would say that, again, he has a lot of good football left in him. We'll see how this unfolds as the season goes on. But to this point in time, he's done a good job. Like every team, we're trying to focus on week by week. I would say moving forward, there's a lot of good football left in Ryan," Maccagnan said. 

The Jets general manager also said that Fitzpatrick has been a good influence on Smith and rookie Bryce Petty. Where this all leaves Smith is in a dreaded no-man's land. The team's starter for much of the last two years, his only action in 2015 came when Fitzpatrick was knocked out of a game several weeks back with a hand injury. Smith came into a tough spot at the Oakland Raiders and while understandably rusty, did some positive things on the field. 

Now he is back, carrying a clipboard. 

"Obviously Geno is under contract for next year. Geno has dealt with some adversity with the incident this summer, I think he handled it very well. He's actually done a good job in terms of his practice, his approach, preparing. As a backup player, you don't know when your time is going to be called. Obviously in Oakland he had an opportunity to play. As a backup, you don't have the same reps a starter would. I thought he came in and had some good plays," Maccagnan said. "I'm sure there's a few plays there he'd like to have back. I think at this point time, we're going to see how this thing progresses. We have little under half a season left. Geno has done a good job so far and we'll see how he progresses going forward. I think like all the players, we're happy with him, we're working with him and then we're going to see how the season unfolds and if he'll play again."

>      http://www.metro.us/new-york/sounds-like-jets-gm-believes-in-some-fitzmagic/zsJokr---ghrshDqwD6aE/

[kelly]

— Rich Gannon watched the video of the Jets' loss to the Bills last week, and he liked what he saw from the defense.

"The defense did a good job," Gannon, the former NFL quarterback who is now an analyst for CBS Sports, said in a phone interview with NJ Advance Media.

But the offense—and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in particular—was another matter altogether.

Fitzpatrick was just 5-for-17 for 90 yards and an interception in the first half, and he uncharacteristically went against type by taking a few deep shots downfield—perhaps, Gannon said, to try to keep the Bills from playing press coverage against the Jets' receivers.The Jets (5-4) have now lost three of four heading into Sunday's game at the Texans (4-5) at NRG Stadium. They've also shown a pass-run balance in their five wins —an average of 230.8 passing yards to 142.4 rushing yards—that's been missing in their four losses—260.3 passing yards versus 84.5 rushing yards.

Gannon, who will call Sunday's Jets-Texans game with Kevin Harlan, said it's something the Jets need to get figured out.

"They can go four-wide, and they've had some success with it," Gannon said. "But they can also go heavy and give it to [running back Chris] Ivory."

The Jets had used their heavy package a lot against the Jaguars two weeks ago, only to have Ivory held to 26 yards on 23 carries. And even though they played more of a spread in the second half—and had more success moving the ball—Gannon thinks they should keep feeding Ivory the ball."You'll see sometimes where he'll get a bunch of carries, then he won't get it at all for two or three series," Gannon said. "I know there are concerns about wear and tear, but they should be giving it to him 20 or 25 times a game."Because the Texans have an outstanding defensive front, with end J.J. Watt and edge rusher Whitney Mercilus, plus this week's return of edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney from a back injury, Fitzpatrick is probably going to have to rely on short, quick throws on Sunday, Gannon said.

But it's a style that plays into Fitzpatrick's strength.

"He's very good at tempo, the rhythm throws," Gannon said. "They're going to have use a lot of screens, a lot of perimeter screens."

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/rich_gannon_jets_need_to_find_their_offensive_iden.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

-- The New York Jets probably wrecked their playoff chances Sunday at NRG Stadium, which stands for "Not Real Good" in their crumbling world, but this is no time to change the quarterback. Despite two poor performances in a row, Ryan Fitzpatrick deserves another chance to redeem himself. A call to Geno Smith would be an act of desperation, and that's the last message Todd Bowles -- the supposedly never-flinching coach -- should send to his locker room.

Barring an upset, Bowles will stick with Fitzpatrick next Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, but there was no unconditional vote of confidence in the aftermath of the 24-17 loss to the Houston Texans. Bowles opened the door a crack by deferring.Asked if he's considering a switch to Smith, Bowles said, "Not at this time. We'll meet on all that stuff on Monday." Pressed, Bowles said, "I'm still committed to Ryan. I just don't think he played very well, just like a lot of other people on both sides of the ball." Pressed again, he punted to Monday.This was akin to a warning flare, a message to Fitzpatrick, who killed the Jets' chances of a comeback with two interceptions in the span of one minute late in the fourth quarter. It was bad, real bad, but Fitzpatrick put enough in the bank over the first eight games to warrant one last chance. Does anybody really believe Smith can save the season? That would be a Hail Mary.

"I didn't play well," Fitzpatrick acknowledged after the team's fourth loss in five games. "There were a lot of throws I needed to make that I didn't make. Obviously, having two chances there at the end and not coming up with a touchdown on one of those drives hurts."This was the second straight game that Fitzpatrick failed in crunch time. Ten days after the goal-line fiasco against the Buffalo Bills, he misfired on four of his last five passes, including the two interceptions -- both his fault. Let's put it another way: He was outplayed by Texans third-string quarterback T.J. Yates, who probably would be still unemployed if Ryan Mallett hadn't overslept and missed a flight.

FitzMagic has turned to FizzMagic, and it's too bad because he plays the game with heart and toughness.

There he was, stitches in his surgically repaired left thumb, plowing into the end zone on a 6-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, making it 24-17. He gives the Jets something they don't get from Smith: a quarterback with strong intangibles. But Fitzpatrick will be the first to say it's a bottom-line business, and his bottom line doesn't look good over the past two games: 34-for-73, 409 yards, three touchdowns, four interceptions.

For the fourth time this season, the Jets lost by seven or fewer points."The feeling in our locker room sucks right now," Fitzpatrick said.Week after week, the Jets fall behind with lackluster starts by the offense, and they're simply not equipped to play catch-up with their current personnel. Only once in the last five games have they scored a first-quarter touchdown. This goes way beyond Fitzpatrick, of course. He needs help, and he certainly didn't get it from Brandon Marshall, who opened the second quarter by dropping a well-thrown deep ball. Or from rookie Devin Smith, who dropped what should've been a 46-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"It comes down to some chemistry," Marshall said. "We got a lot of guys coming in, and what we're trying to do is unprecedented, but that's no excuse. It's hard for guys to come together and be hitting on all cylinders, but at this point in the season ... we have to start going."Marshall, whose mouth got him into trouble in the past, has mastered the art of expressing his opinion without saying anything. Asked to explain the slow starts, he paused 10 seconds before saying, "We've got to make plays."

That was followed by a 12-second pause.

Finally: "Gotta get on the same page and make plays."And that was all he said about that. It was telling.

Everybody deserve blames for the latest loss, from the players to the coaches, but it would be a panic move by Bowles to make Fitzpatrick the scapegoat. He led them to 4-1; he should get the chance to fix what's left of a once-promising season.

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56391/quarterback-change-for-the-jets-things-are-bad-but-not-that-bad

[kelly]

— You could almost see the steam coming out of Todd Bowles’ ears, he was so mad after the Jets 24-17 defeat to the Texans Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium. So, maybe his noncommittal stance on Ryan Fitzpatrick remaining as the Jets’ starting quarterback can be chalked up to being in the heat-of-the-moment.

Certainly, things haven’t gotten so bad for the Jets that Bowles might actually be contemplating starting Geno Smith when the Jets play the Dolphins on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Or have they?

When asked if he would consider making the switch at quarterback the only thing Bowles would offer was “not at this time. We’ll meet on all that stuff on Monday.”

It wasn’t the full endorsement Bowles has given in the past when he made it clear Fitzpatrick was the starter. Still, the coach acted like it wasn’t a big deal.“I’m still committed to Ryan,” Bowles said a bit half-heartedly. “I don’t think he played very well just like a lot of other people on both sides of the ball.”At this point switching to Smith would seem like a panic move even though the Jets have lost four of their last five to drop to 5-5 on the season. If the Jets coaching had any faith in Smith he would have gotten the start against the Texans, considering Fitzpatrick underwent surgery nine days earlier to repair a torn ligament on the thumb of his non-throwing hand. Instead, Fitzpatrick was rushed back into action and delivered one of his worst performances of the season.

He completed 19 of 39 passes for 216 yards and one touchdown. But he threw two key interceptions late in the game and was sacked three times as the Jets converted just 3 of 14 third-down situations. He also didn’t rally the Jets when they still had a chance to tie the game late.A 6-yard touchdown run by Fitzpatrick with 4:20 remaining cut the Texans lead to 24-17 and gave the Jets some hope. But their two ensuing drives ended in interceptions. First safety Eddie Pleasant stole a pass intended for receiver Devin Smith on fourth-and-5 with 2:53 remaining. Then safety Andre Hal picked off a pass intended for Brandon Marshall just after the two minute warning.

“He had turnovers and we can’t have turnovers,” Bowles said of Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick was playing against the team that traded him to the Jets for two late conditional draft picks after going 6-6 as the Texans starting quarterback in 2014. But the welcome was a rude one courtesy of a Texans’ defense that limited the Jets to just 57 total yards in the first half and 267 for the game.Fitzpatrick didn’t get much help. Marshall and Smith each dropped a pair of passes and the offensive line got ravaged by defensive end J.J. Watt, who had two sacks and five quarterback hits.

“A lot of that falls on me in terms of third down and getting some of those completions,” Fitzpatrick said. “When you can’t get into a rhythm and you can’t stay on the field, it gets tough.”The Jets did manage to end the Texans’ streak of 12 straight quarters without allowing a touchdown when Marshall caught a 21-yard touchdown pass with 11:23 left in the third quarter to tie the game 10-10. But the Texans used a trick play to score on a 21-yard pass from wide receiver Cecil Shorts to running back Alfred Blue and added a 20-yard pass from quarterback T.J. Yates to receiver DeAndre Hopkins to grab their 20-10 lead with 3:24 remaining in the third quarter. That put all the pressure on Fitzpatrick and a Jets’ offense that couldn’t deliver.

“I didn’t play well,” Fitzpatrick said. “There were a lot of throws I needed to make that I didn’t make and obviously having two chances there at the end and not coming up with the touchdown on one of those drives hurts.”Losing four of five is the kind of losing stretch that can get a quarterback benched. But it’s hard to blame Fitzpatrick for dropped passes, poor protection and a defense that’s underachieving.

>      http://nypost.com/2015/11/22/todd-bowles-must-restrain-himself-from-huge-qb-mistake/

[kelly]

Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

As expected, Ryan Fitzpatrick will remain the Jets' starting QB. Todd Bowles said Fitzpatrick has to raise his game, but that he played well enough in previous week to keep the job. It looks like they may not have CB Darrelle Revis (concussion). His condition is no better today than yesterday, per Bowles, who said he's not optimistic. An MRI on Nick Mangold's lacerated hand was negative. His status remains iffy, though.

>  http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

Ryan Fitzpatrick keeps his job, Quinton Coples doesn't. There you have it, the immediate fallout from the New York Jets' latest loss.

On Monday, coach Todd Bowles confirmed what everyone suspected, that Fitzpatrick will start Sunday against the Dolphins. It was the right decision. It was the only decision.After hedging Sunday afternoon, Bowles made it sound like it was a no-brainer, saying "not much" consideration was given to the possibility of benching Fitzpatrick in favor of Geno Smith. Indeed, it would've been a panic move, the worst thing he could've done at this stage of the season. At 5-5, it looks bleak for the Jets, but it's not hopeless.

By staying with Fitzpatrick, Bowles keeps hope alive.

"You don't want to give up on a quarterback just like that because overall, on what he's done this year, he still proved he can do that going forward," Bowles said.

Bowles gave a mixed review of Fitzpatrick's performance against the Texans. He said there were "some bad throws," but that the offensive struggles weren't all Fitzpatrick's fault. There were a handful of dropped passes in the 24-17 loss, including a would-be touchdown by rookie Devin Smith.By his own admission, Fitzpatrick hasn't played well the past couple of games, both losses. The numbers are ugly -- a 47 percent completion rate, four interceptions and two bad fourth quarters with the game on the line. That said, he's still their best bet.

You know it and his teammates know it. Fitzpatrick wasn't shy about saying he believes it, too.

"I do think I'm the right man for the job," he said.

"I have no problem shouldering the blame that gets thrown my way -- all the blame I deserve and don't deserve," Fitzpatrick added. "I think I'm the right guy to get this thing going in the right direction."Fitzpatrick has slipped to 10th in Total QBR (65.8). He has 16 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. Only five quarterbacks have more interceptions than Fitzpatrick -- Andrew Luck (12), Blake Bortles (12), Joe Flacco (12), Matthew Stafford (12) and Peyton Manning (17).

The Jets' offensive problems go beyond Fitzpatrick. The running game has disappeared. The receivers have dropped too many passes. The coaching staff has to figure out a way to solve the poor starts.

"Confidence is a lot of it, just getting some of that swagger back," Fitzpatrick said.

His job security might be waning, but Fitzpatrick still has the backing of the locker room. On Monday, his job status was a non-issue.

"It's never been a question," left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson said. "He's definitely our leader."

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56416/jets-coach-todd-bowles-makes-correct-call-sticking-with-ryan-fitzpatrick

[kelly]

The season is on the line now, a season that began with so much promise, suddenly threatening to spiral out of control and out of the playoffs for the fifth straight season.And it is on the journeyman quarterback and the rookie head coach to prove they are the right men right now for their respective jobs.

The head coach is 10 games into his rookie season, and a restless, anxiety-riddled fan base is asking him not to resemble a rookie coach across this six-game season that awaits him and the Jets.Todd Bowles doesn’t rattle easily, but he has never been in the football Oval Office presiding over a crisis, in a town without pity that shines a light so bright that even the most unflappable become flappable.The rookie coach of the Jets closed the can of worms he opened in Houston on Sunday — with ambiguous support of his starting quarterback — when he resisted pressing the panic button all Jets head coaches have embedded in their desks and announced matter-of-factly that Ryan Fitzpatrick is still his man.

“I do think I’m the right man for the job,” Fitzpatrick says.

Fitzpatrick says this even though there has been little FitzMagic lately from the journeyman quarterback, but what else would you expect him to say, that Geno Smith is the right man for the job?If Fitzpatrick gets off the canvas and reminds Bowles why he remains the right man for the job, then Bowles has a much better chance to reveal himself as the right man for his job. Asked if Fitzpatrick now has a shorter leash, Bowles said: “No, he’s the starting quarterback.”

But what else would you expect him to say, his next pick will be his last pick?

Bowles believes Fitzpatrick is the right man for the job — two more stinkers and he might not be — in part because he apparently believes Smith is the wrong man for the job. Bowles labeled the surprise release of former No. 1 pick Quinton Coples “a business decision,” but it won’t bother him one bit if it is perceived in the locker room as a message sent that it can happen to virtually anyone.Fitzpatrick is the right man for the job because he has earned the respect of his teammates with his professional, mature, selfless, even-keeled approach and competitiveness. If Tom Brady or Cam Newton is Apollo Creed, then Fitzpatrick is Rocky. He has had a rocky career, but he won’t stop fighting. His greatest attribute, beyond his experience, may be that he accepts the responsibility of being a stand-up guy, although it would behoove him to not have to stand up too many more times.“I’d have no problem shouldering any blame that gets thrown my way, and all the blame that I deserve, and don’t deserve,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think I’m the right guy to get this thing going back in the right direction.”

All well and good, but Bowles needs the quarterback’s actions — fewer interceptions — to speak louder than his words.

“You don’t give up on a quarterback just like that,” Bowles said.

The quarterback, meanwhile, needs the rookie coach to help him by fixing what ails the underachieving defense. Especially with Darrelle Revis in the concussion protocol — even though it wouldn’t be a terrible thing if Revis has little recollection of his nightmare day against DeAndre Hopkins.

“We’ve just gotta get that confidence back,” Fitzpatrick said.

It is Bowles’ job to help the Jets get their swagger back in time for the 4-6 Dolphins visit on Sunday. Bowles, of course, will need Revis against Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Dez Bryant and Sammy Watkins in the final six weeks.“He wasn’t feeling any better today,” Bowles said. “Anytime somebody gets a concussion, you’re kinda pessimistic about him the next week. Some people recover faster than others.”It is Bowles’ job to light a fire under his defensive line and ignite a pass rush with his defensive genius.It is Bowles’ job to find Fitzpatrick a smashmouth running game even as he keeps his fingers crossed that invaluable center Nick Mangold (six or seven stitches for his hand laceration) can deal with the pain.

It is Bowles’ job to find a way to counter defenses taking away Brandon Marshall even though he is without a pass-catching tight end.It is Bowles’ job and Fitzpatrick’s job to start faster and avoid playing catchup.“We got to find a way as coaches to get that out of the way and get ’em started faster earlier,” Bowles said.

The past four years gave us Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez, followed by Ryan and Smith at the critical positions of head coach and quarterback.Now it is Todd Bowles and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Right head coach for this job?

Prove it.

Right quarterback for this job?

Prove it.

>      http://nypost.com/2015/11/23/the-bowles-fitzpatrick-era-hits-put-up-or-shut-up-breaking-point/

[kelly]

The Jets are in the midst of a season-threatening slump, but Todd Bowles isn't ready to make a change at the quarterback position.

The coach announced Monday that Ryan Fitzpatrick will remain under center when the 5-5 Jets host the 4-6 Dolphins on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.Bowles inadvertently started speculation of a QB switch when he appeared to duck a question about Fitzpatrick's status shortly after the veteran threw two fourth-quarter interceptions in a damaging 24-17 loss to the Texans.After Bowles made his announcement Monday, a reporter asked if Fitzpatrick would be on a short leash against the Dolphins.

"He's our starting QB," Bowles replied.

Fitzpatrick wasn't helped by his receivers Sunday -- Brandon Marshall and Devin Smith each had crippling drops on deep balls -- but the veteran's recent struggles have mirrored the slump of a Jets team that started the season at 4-1.Fitzpatrick, who took over as starter when ex-Jets linebacker IK Enemkpali broke the jaw of Geno Smith in a locker room altercation, has completed 58.4 percent of his passes for 2,199 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, good for a passer rating of 81.4.

The numbers are pedestrian, but they look pristine when compared to what backup Geno Smith produced over two-plus seasons in Gotham. Of course, Smith didn't have a playmaker like Marshall to throw to under Rex Ryan.A switch to Smith could shake up a listless team, but it would also feel like a panic move given Smith's past struggles and suspect reputation within his own locker room. The Jets' problems in the past five weeks go well beyond the quarterback position. Jumping back on the GenoCoaster in the middle of a playoff push hardly feels like a solution.

>      http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000586565/article/slumping-jets-will-stick-with-ryan-fitzpatrick-at-qb

[kelly]

Stop me if you've heard this one before: The Jets will enter the offseason with a decision to make at quarterback. That never happens, does it?

The Jets are hardly alone in their endless quest to find a franchise quarterback. Most of the league is frequently in the same situation. If only there were a bodega that sold a Tom Brady or an Aaron Rodgers on the shelf next to the ramen noodles and bug spray. Alas.Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Jets' current starter, can become a free agent after the season. He'd be affordable—his current deal pays him $3.25 million this season. But would the Jets want to bring him back? These last six games could go a long way toward determining that.But if the Jets wanted to go in another direction—draft, trade, free agency—what kind of options would they have? Plenty. But none are simple or obvious.

Barring a complete collapse in the last six weeks, the Jets likely won't get one of the top picks in the draft, which means they likely would have to select another project. There are some intriguing free-agent options, but they all have caveats. And trades are trades: They depend on two parties being able to broker a deal that appeals to both sides, which is impossible to predict.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the Jets' possible quarterback options. They're in the gallery above. Click on through to see them, and go right ahead and sound off below in the comments.(And of course it's premature to be doing this in the middle of the 2015 season. But with the Jets sitting at 5-5 after a 4-1 start, it's fun to spitball a little. Just go with it.)

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/drew_brees_peyton_manning_colin_kaepernick_jets_qu.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

Reaching into the Week 12 mailbag for a New York Jets question  :

@RichCimini Do you think Fitzpatrick would lose the job with a poor outing and a loss against Miami ? #jetsmail

@RichCimini: Let's put it this way: If Ryan Fitzpatrick has a third straight bad game and they don't bench him, it'll confirm how they feel about Geno Smith. It would be a "Fitz-or-bust" message, rendering Smith to "Dead Man Walking" status.

That said, I think we have a a pretty good idea about the gap between Fitzpatrick and Smith. It would have to be a really bad game for them to put Fitzpatrick on the bench. If they turn to Smith, it's basically a Hail Mary.The bigger question: How do they help Fitzpatrick out of his slump? I asked the question this week to offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, and he mentioned how they've taken a lot of unsuccessful deep shots in recent weeks. I interpreted that as Gailey saying they're going to get back to a short, low-risk passing attack. We all know Fitzpatrick isn't a great deep passer; the coaching staff apparently got the memo. On throws of at least 25 yards in the air, he's only 4-for-32, the lowest completion percentage in the league, according to ESPN Stats & Information. When he makes a good throw, someone drops it. (Yes, this means you, Devin Smith.)

If the Jets do indeed scale back the passing attack, it tells me they're committed to player over scheme. If they were hellbent on throwing downfield, they'd go to Smith, who has a stronger arm and probably would connect on a higher percentage of deep passes than Fitzpatrick. But they want to make it work with FitzMagic, whose leadership and knowledge of the offense provides a comfort level with Gailey and the players around him.Todd Bowles is the X factor. Remember, he was prepared to go into the season with Smith as his starter -- before IK Enemkpali's fist entered the picture -- so he must have seen something in Smith to think he could start. Has time eroded his confidence in Smith?

If the Jets are 5-6, Bowles has to ask himself this question: Which quarterback gives us the best chance to beat the New York Giants? My feeling is to ride it out with Fitzpatrick until you're mathematically eliminated. At that point, skip Smith and go directly to rookie Bryce Petty, playing for the future.

>        http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56510/is-ryan-fitzpatrick-playing-for-his-job-against-dolphins

 

[kelly]

-- The New York Jets saved their season, and all they needed was a shave, a refresher course in algebra and a visit from the Miami Dolphins.

Employing a back-to-basics approach on offense, Ryan Fitzpatrick -- sans scruffy beard -- threw for 277 yards and a season-high four touchdown passes, lifting the Jets to a 38-20 victory Sunday at MetLife Stadium. They came to life after a 1-4 funk, playing their best game since mid-October. It was a must-win for the Jets (6-5), who began the day on the verge of falling out of the AFC wild-card chase. They responded to coach Todd Bowles' tough love, ending a free fall that threatened to ruin their promising start.

Bowles used a math analogy last week to describe their predicament, saying the offense needed to get back to algebra after an unsuccessful foray into trigonometry. The math worked out beautifully against the pitiful Dolphins (4-7), as the offense racked up 411 yards and went 4-for-5 in the red zone.Fitzpatrick is 1-0 PS -- post-shave, that is. He trimmed down his trademark beard last week, claiming he wanted to change his mojo. Maybe he should do it every week. His previous big shave came last November, and he responded with six touchdown passes for the Houston Texans.

What it means: The Jets snapped a two-game losing streak, improved to 2-2 in the division and quieted any talk of a quarterback change.

One reason to get excited: For weeks, the Jets have been talking about the importance of getting Brandon Marshall more involved in the offense. It finally happened, as Marshall caught nine passes for a season-high 131 yards and two touchdowns. Why the breakout? A couple of reasons. Marshall saw more single coverage than usual as the Dolphins opted to use Brent Grimes on the Jets' No. 1 receiver. The Jets also simplified their pre-snap usage of Marshall, using less shifting than usual. That they played the Dolphins also was a factor. He made 16 receptions for 259 yards against them in the two meetings.

One reason to panic: It was a sloppy day for the Jets' offensive line, which committed five penalties. That includes three false starts, including two on D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who also allowed a sack. How do all those false starts happen in a home game, where crowd noise isn't a factor? Another concern was the run blocking, as the Jets were sluggish on first and second down. Chris Ivory gained 16 yards on his first rush, then managed only 29 yards on his next 15 carries. That won't cut it over the final five games. He busted a 31-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, no thanks to the line. He did it on his own, breaking five tackles.

What were they thinking? Fitzpatrick went to drop-plagued rookie Devin Smith in a clutch situation ... and it worked. Hey, sometimes the head-scratchers play out nicely. Instead of benching Smith after last week's two-drop disaster, Bowles stuck with him, proclaiming his confidence in him. He was rewarded for his patience. Smith scored his first NFL touchdown on a third-down pass, beating Jamar Taylor for 16 yards. It had to be a huge confidence boost for the former Ohio State star, who hasn't had much to feel good about. The Jets have been looking for a reliable No. 3 receiver all season. Can Smith finally be that guy?

Stat of the day: The Jets held the Dolphins to 4-for-15 on third down, making it 4-for-27 in the two meetings.

Fantasy watch: Fantasy points galore. Four different players reached the end zone -- Marshall, Smith, Ivory and Eric Decker. It was Marshall's fourth straight game with a touchdown. And let's not forget about Fitzpatrick, who tossed four touchdowns.

Ouch: Cornerback Marcus Williams, who started for Darrelle Revis (concussion), injured a knee on a first-quarter interception return and didn't return. Williams, who leads the team with five interceptions, was replaced by Darrin Walls. Buster Skrine also had playing time in the base defense.

What's next: There's no travel for the Jets, but they will be the road team against the New York Giants next Sunday.

>       http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56541/ryan-fitzpatrick-razor-sharp-as-jets-save-season-with-dominating-win

[kelly]

-- New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said he already misses his big, bushy beard. His teammates don't.

"The beard should never, ever come back," Brandon Marshall said Sunday, smiling.

Five days after trimming his signature scruff, Fitzpatrick played his best game of the year, throwing a season-high four touchdown passes in the Jets' 38-20 win over the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. Sound familiar?The same story unfolded last November. Playing for the Houston Texans, Fitzpatrick threw six touchdowns the week he shaved his beard. Call him the anti-Samson.So, if you're scoring at home, Fitzpatrick has 10 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in games immediately after his beard is trimmed. Maybe the folks at ESPN Stats & Information can cook up a facial hair/performance analysis.

Sunday's performance came one day shy of the one-year anniversary of his six-pack of touchdowns.

Coincidence  ?

Eric Decker said the "young Fitz is back," adding that his quarterback should consider weekly trims.

"We'll pitch in to give it to him," Decker cracked.Fitzpatrick, who turned 33 last week, said he's not superstitious but that he decided to clean up his look because he wanted to change his mojo after two bad games. It worked. Squashing any notion of a quarterback controversy, he completed 22 of 37 passes for 277 yards, throwing touchdowns to three receivers -- Marshall (two), Decker and rookie Devin Smith.

Fitzpatrick doesn't sound like he's in favor of weekly trims."No, I don't think so," he said. "It was just a little long. I need to grow it in a little more. I kind of miss it."He might be the only one who feels that way.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56555/teammates-to-jets-qb-ryan-fitzpatrick-less-beard-more-tds