" Jets QB Situation Is Clear " ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

— The versatile scheme run by new Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is famously QB-friendly, an approach that has allowed him to find some measure of success with every quarterback he has had, from Troy Aikman to Tyler Thigpen.But Gailey is not a miracle worker. His system takes time—perhaps less time than more complex attacks, like the one New York ran under previous O.C. Marty Mornhinweg, but enough time. It asks the quarterback to play on instinct, to lean on the rapport he’s created with his wide receivers.

 

Geno Smith could have a hard time finding that connection while on the shelf, rehabbing the broken jaw he sustained during a locker-room dust-up with former teammate IK Enemkpali.“It's an offense that allows you to be who you are and make decisions and reads,” said rookie QB Jake Heaps, the Jets’ third-stringer with Smith out, though he did not play in Thursday’s 23–3 preseason loss to Detroit. “It allows you to see the field versus saying, You to throw to A, B, C on every given play.“It allows you to read the coverage and really talk to your receivers and get on the same page with them. Once you’re onthe same page,you’re able to make route adjustments and different things,which is different for each guy.”Heaps made sure to note that he believes Smith will hit the ground running whenever he can (the initial timeline had Smith out for 6-10 weeks). The reality is that Smith may not be able to make up for lost time.

 

Among the obvious reasons why New York traded for Ryan Fitzpatrick in March was his familiarity with Gailey. The two were together from 2010-12, when Gailey held the head-coaching post for Buffalo. Fitzpatrick started all but three games during Gailey’s Bills tenure, throwing for a combined 10,232 yards, 71 touchdowns and 54 interceptions.While those numbers are not particularly awe-inspiring, they are worthwhile again now. Fitzpatrick threw just two passes in one series before resting Thursday, because the Jets wanted to see more of rookie backup Bryce Petty and, more to the point, because there’s no mystery when it comes to Fitzpatrick.He will need ample reps in the coming weeks with New York’s first-team offense—Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, Chris Ivory and others. When it comes to learning the system, though, Fitzpatrick is well ahead of the curve. “Chan really knows Fitz and Fitz knows Chan and they have a good feel for one another,” Heaps said. “They have a good dialogue and conversation with one another that goes beyond just this off-season and training camp. That really helps them to be on the same page and communicate.”

 

Fitzpatrick, Petty and Heaps all hammered home the same idea following the Jets’ loss: familiarity. Finding a rhythm in Gailey's attack only comes when the QB and his receivers reach that point of having an almost unspoken bond. That’s true of many passing attacks throughout the NFL, but doubly so in an offense like this one—as Heaps noted, Gailey does not often predesign specific reads. Rather, he allows the quarterback to figure out where his comfort spot will be from play to play.“It's a game-by-game deal,” Fitzpatrick said of how the Jets will attack opposing defenses. “Our identity is yet to be seen. The beauty of Chan’s system is you can see different things against different defenses each week.”From Heaps: “Each quarterback likes different concepts, likes different things and coach Gailey doesn’t put a square peg in a round hole. He sees what their abilities are and makes adjustments and talks to them accordingly. That's really cool to see.”

 

There is a learning curve for Gailey, too, inherent in moving to a new team with different pieces. He started chipping away at that challenge as it pertained to Smith during off-season workouts and into training camp.They may not slip back to square one when Smith can suit up again, but Gailey will be in a far more comfortable place with Fitzpatrick.“He did well,” head coach Todd Bowles offered of Fitzpatrick’s brief appearance against the Lions. “He commanded the offense ... [he was] calm, cool and collected. He did his job.”And it is Fitzpatrick’s job, no questions asked at the moment. Should he settle back into Gailey’s system over the next two or three months, Smith may never get the gig back.

 

>  http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/08/13/ryan-fitzpatrick-geno-smith-jets-quarterback-race-chan-gailey

[kelly]

The New York Jets played poorly Thursday versus the Detroit Lions in a 23-3 loss.

 

(Deletes tired punchless pun.)

 

With quarterback Geno Smith on the shelf following jaw surgery, Ryan Fitzpatrick played just one series. He led Gang Green's offense to a field goal, but most of that was thanks to a big kickoff return and a bulldozing Chris Ivory. Fitzpatrick ended 2-of-3 passing for just 16 yards.Bryce Petty played the rest of the contest and looked every bit a rookie not ready to pilot the Jets. He finished 10-of-18 passing for 50 yards. It appears all the reports about him being a year or two away from seeing the field were spot on.

 

So after the combined 66 yards passing performance, the Jets might consider adding a veteran for the rest of the preseason.NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports that Matt Flynn is working out for the Jets Friday, per a source informed of the team's plans.Flynn opened training camp with the New England Patriots, but didn't see the field as he continues to deal with an elbow injury.The addition of Flynn would likely be just to get through the preseason without relying mainly on Petty. Jake Heaps is also on the roster, but didn't see a snap in the blowout loss.The Jets have been linked to several quarterbacks, including Tyler Thigpen and Rex Grossman, among others.

 

Flynn will get the first crack. The big question is: can he pass a physical ?

 

> http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000509874/article/jets-to-work-out-expatriots-quarterback-matt-flynn

[kelly]

saw this..

 

@RichCimini if fitz performs adequately throughout the season, what does that mean for Geno  ? #jetsmail

 

@RichCimini :

It means he'd better get used to carrying the clipboard. Make no mistake, this is Ryan Fitzpatrick's job to lose. If the Jets are, say, 3-1 at the bye week, why would Todd Bowles go back to Geno Smith? He'd have a mutiny in the locker room. The ball belongs to Fitzpatrick, and I say keep him in as long as he's a solid game manager. He doesn't have to throw for 300 yards a week; his job is to limit mistakes and keep the chains moving. The question is whether Fitzpatrick can stay healthy. He has played a full season only twice in his career, 2011 and 2012.

 

rest of above article :

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53074/is-jets-cb-antonio-cromartie-starting-to-decline-at-31

 

[kelly]

Ten Things I Think I Think

 

by Peter King

 

~ ~  6. I think much has been made of Jet-turned-Bill linebacker IK Enemkpali breaking Geno Smith’s jaw Tuesday, and the subsequent fallout. Several points to make :

 

a. I was amazed, from the four coaches/players and one highly respected retired player I spoke with in the past few days that the blame for the incident in the eyes of the NFLers should be shared. I mean, almost equally shared. As one active quarterback told me, “You just do not go around owing teammates money—especially a teammate who doesn’t make much money.” As Jenny Vrentas reported Thursday, the Bills got the inside info on what exactly happened from a player inside the Jets’ locker room, and you can bet if the story came back that it was all Enemkpali’s fault in the eyes of this player, the Bills would not have signed him.

 

b. It’s pretty obvious from the words coming out of the Jets’ locker room—good reporting by the New York Post’s Brian Costello on Friday, saying he had two sources advancing the story that Smith “instigated the altercation with Enemkpali”—that there’s not overwhelming respect for Smith in the room.

 

c. From the respected retired player (not a Jet): “I can tell you there’d have been a huge problem in the locker rooms I was in if guys thought the quarterback owed money to a guy and didn’t pay—even if it was in dispute whether he owed him money or not. It wouldn’t matter what the reality was. Guys would be pissed.”

 

d. The Jets open against the Browns. And Cleveland isn’t overjoyed that the starting quarterback for the Jets will miss the game for two simple reasons: Smith is feared by no defensive staff in the league, and new Jets starter Ryan Fitzpatrick started 45 games for Gailey when he was head coach of the Bills from 2010 to 2012. Fitzpatrick knows the Gailey offense far better than Smith. Then there’s the touchdown-to-interception differential for both: Smith, minus-9; Fitzpatrick, plus-22.

 

e. Has there ever been a more transparent slap at a player than Enemkpali’s apology about the incident when he got to Buffalo, when he apologized to everyone in the Jets’ building except for the one whose jaw he broke in two places? Enemkpali: “I want to apologize to the Jets organization, the fans, my teammates and the coaches. I apologize for what happened. It should have never happened. I should have walked away from the situation. It was never my intentions to hurt anybody.” Then he thanked the Bills for picking him up. I would have loved to hear him say: “I wouldn’t apologize to Geno Smith if I lived to be 150.” Because that’s what he meant with that statement.

 

7. I think you shouldn’t blame me for the football locker-room ethos that shifts the blame from the assaulter to the assaultee. I’m the messenger here. I’m just telling you what five people I respect said about the punching in the wake of it. In my opinion, there’s never a good-enough reason for punching another man in the face.

 

8. I think if you’re wondering about the sanction awaiting Enemkpali by the NFL, well, I wouldn’t count on him being in a Bills uniform for the first couple of weeks. After the punchout, NFL VP Troy Vincent sent a memo to all coaches and general managers reminding them of the prohibition on fighting on the field and off. “These rules are in place for the protection and safety of our players and to keep them on the field,” said Vincent. “As professionals, no matter how emotional the game becomes, there is nothing that should resort to fighting. Coaches are encouraged to emphasize to players, coaches, and other club personnel who are on the sidelines, that fighting will not be tolerated. We greatly appreciate all of your efforts to advance our great game, keep it competitive and professional, and to ensure that it is played to the highest standards.” So … how much of a suspension can Enemkpali expect? No one knows, because NFL discipline is a moving target. But I’d be surprised if it was less than two games.

 

rest of above article :

>    http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/16/chip-kelly-philadelphia-eagles-nfl-monday-morning-quarterback

[kelly]

monday morning quarterback

by peter king

 

 

~ ~ Quotes of the Week

 

I

 

“His word is gold. And I think that’s what hurts him so much. He got played for a punk, for lack of a better word, and on top of that, he looked bad to his community—like he didn’t come through with Geno Smith, like it was his fault.”

 

—Luke Hurtado, a former high school teammate of IK Enemkpali in Texas, to Ben Shpigel of the New York Times, in an excellent profile of Enemkpali, and what made him so upset that he punched Jets quarterback Geno Smith in the jaw, fracturing it. Smith was a no-show for Enemkpali’s football camp fundraiser July 11, and exactly one month later, with Smith reportedly never having apologized for missing the camp and never paying Enemkpali back $600 Enemkpali said he was owed, the jaw-breaking occurred in the Jets’ locker room.

 

It will be interesting to see in the coming days just which story is accepted as the truth for why Smith no-showed. Shpigel reports it’s because a friend of Smith’s was in a bike accident. On the day of the event, word around the Jets was that Smith canceled because of a death of a friend. But the Shpigel story is interesting because it notes that Smith was featured prominently in publicity materials for the camp, and some people grumbled when the advertised starting NFL quarterback wasn’t there. The story paints a good picture—while not excusing the act—of why Enemkpali was so steamed that Smith didn’t show, and apparently didn’t call either. “He bailed on me,” Enemkpali told a friend on the day of the camp. “I haven’t heard from him.”

 

rest of above article : 

> http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/16/chip-kelly-philadelphia-eagles-nfl-monday-morning-quarterback

[kelly]

Fitzpatrick Stays a Step Ahead

Teammates Feel Confident with Veteran Signal Caller at the Controls

 

video..

>  http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/Fitzpatrick-Stays-a-Step-Ahead/6c7b19c5-d640-49cf-8e3a-f700eec85eb5

[kelly]

Reduced to a punchline, out for 6-10 weeks due to a broken jaw, liked by few and admired by none, Geno Smith and his era for the New York Jets must finally come to an end.

 

Let me be very clear. There is no dispute that Geno was the victim of physical violence. This is regrettable, unjustifiable and could require legal remedy. But at the same time, an entire franchise and fan base have been the victims of his emotional immaturity. I would personally be ecstatic if my assessment of Geno ultimately proves wrong. But we can simply not forget his theatrics when he was passed over (for good reasons as it turned out), in the first round of the NFL draft; or how he lost his cool and yelled an obscenity to a heckler after a home defeat to the Detroit Lions; or how he missed a team meeting in the west coast with a lame, dimwitted excuse, prior to a 31-0 shutout to the San Diego Chargers.We now learn that he got sucker punched by IK Enemkpali over a $600 dollar debt. Certain conclusions are thus inescapable: Geno cannot handle the bright lights of the Big Apple or the pressure that comes with the job of a starting QB. He is thin skinned, temperamental and exhibits poor judgment time after time. Because of him, the New York Jets dominate headlines for all the wrong reasons and become late night comedy fodder. And let us not forget who drafted him: John Idzik, a perennial candidate for worst GM in the history of the NFL.

 

Geno Smith is not a leader. Period. It would have been simply inconceivable for a Peyton Manning or a Joe Namath or [enter here the name of any great QB] to be shown such disrespect and punched for an off the field reason by a teammate. The best NFL players are like generals who inspire their troops to battle, valor and sacrifice. What we witnessed in the Jets locker room was akin to mutiny. Tellingly, Jets players simply did not bother to come to Geno's defense. Some apportioned blame to both sides, others to Geno himself. Ultimately, it does not matter. We now have proof of what we have long suspected: Geno cannot and should not be in charge of the Jets.Admittedly, character flaws and bad behavior are sometimes overlooked due to phenomenal performance. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is widely considered to be a very dirty player, but that did not stop the Miami Dolphins from awarding him a $114 million contract. The problem with Geno is that he is a nightmare of a player, a turnover machine (his career TD-INT ratio is 25-34) who routinely panics if his first read fails. Word was that he had improved in practice but that is almost meaningless absent real conditions. We do not award Super Bowl rings for training camp or preseason.

 

Where do the New York Jets go from here? Ryan Fitzpatrick is now the starting QB. He is a cerebral veteran, but it remains to be seen how much gas he has left in his tank for his 11th season in the NFL. Bryce Petty is a work in progress who if developed properly might be the future face of the franchise. Possibly another veteran such as Matt Flynn will be brought in to provide depth in the QB position and some insurance if Fitzpatrick is injured early in the season. Within a vastly improved AFC East, the prospects for the New York Jets season look bleak. But the Jets will fly again. There is every reason to trust HC Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan. But not Geno Smith. His days as a starting QB should be finally over.

 

>   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aristotle-tziampiris/why-geno-smith-is-done-fo_b_7992036.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592&ref=yfp

[kelly]

- Ryan Fitzpatrick may have gone from backup to starting quarterback in jaw-dropping fashion.But the newest New York Jets starting QB says he’s equipped to handle what has been one wild week even by Jets’ standards.“My normal is craziness,” said the well-traveled Fitzpatrick after practice on Tuesday. “Moving around and jumping from team to team and having to get used to different guys in a short period of time … yeah, the craziness is normal for me, I guess.”

 

In his 11-year career, Fitzpatrick has now played for six teams. However, the Jets are his fourth team in four seasons. After playing in Buffalo for four seasons, he moved to Tennessee and then Houston before landing in New York.Fitzpatrick was traded to the Jets in the offseason and started camp seeing mostly second-team snaps behind Geno Smith. But the former seventh-round pick became the starter after Smith suffered a broken jaw in a locker room altercation that is expected to keep him out of at least four games.

 

Fitzpatrick said the dynamic in the quarterbacks room will be fine with the shift."It’s fine," Fitzpatrick said when asked about how last week's event impacted the dynamic of the position group. "We are both professionals."The veteran quarterback from Harvard has had to get adjusted to more reps and developing chemistry with starting wideouts Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker and the offensive line.But one thing that has made the unexpected transition easier has been his knowledge of Chan Gailey’s offense.

 

Fitzpatrick and the new Jets offensive coordinator spent three seasons together in Buffalo when Gailey was the head coach from 2010-12.“It’s his offense,” Marshall said. “[Fitzpatrick] knows this offense probably just as well as Chan. That’s exciting and it makes everyone feel comfortable.”So even though the punch heard around the NFL last week sent shock waves throughout the Jets’ locker room, Fitzpatrick will continue to go about his business like he did in previous stops in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Tennessee and Houston.

 

“He’s a pro unlike a young guy,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “He’s been in the league and he’s started a bunch of games and come off the bench a lot, so with him he is handling it all in stride.”

 

>  http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53163/jets-ryan-fitzpatrick-my-normal-is-craziness

[kelly]

-- Wednesday morning's wake-up call, Day 21 of New York Jets training camp :

 

What's happening : It's the usual schedule. The players will be on the field for stretching at 1:50, followed by a special teams period. The full practice begins at 2:20. Sorry, folks, the session is only open to season-ticket holders.

 

What's hot : There could be a new quarterback on the field -- assuming Matt Flynn finalizes his contract. Late Tuesday, the Jets and Flynn were expecting to wrap up a one-year contract, as ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported. The Jets apparently are satisfied that Flynn's hamstring injury, reportedly the reason he was cut Aug. 10 by the New England Patriots, is fine. They gave him a physical exam last Friday. Obviously, Flynn will be in serious catch-up mode. ... The Jets will have to release a player to make room for Flynn. ... This will be a final practice before they face the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night at MetLife Stadium. On Tuesday, they prepared for the Falcons by running "cards," as they say in the business -- meaning the scout team ran Atlanta's plays off flash cards. Look for more of the same on Wednesday. ... Presumably, Muhammad Wilkerson (hamstring) will sit out again, meaning he won't play against the Falcons. At this point, it would be smart to let him rest, trying to get him on the practice field next week so he can play against the New York Giants.

 

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53205/jets-preparing-to-break-in-new-quarterback-at-practice

[kelly]

The Jets on Tuesday did not have a typical practice.Players wore shells, so there was no contact. The team periods, which usually pit the starting offense against the starting defense, instead had the starting offense going against backups, and vice versa. The pace was much slower than normal, because the emphasis was on preparation for Friday night's preseason game against the Falcons, and on installing the playbook.

 

It was more introducing their defense and how they play, and also talking to our guys about particular routes and things that we will not only use for this week in preseason, but down the line during the season," quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "It's not necessarily the normal bulk that we would have for a game plan. It's a lot of, again, vanilla-type plays and hoping that we can execute our vanilla plays."So: execution and install. Training camp is now roughly three weeks old, and head coach Todd Bowles said the Jets have installed about 65 percent of their offensive playbook.

 

What follows is a quick breakdown of how Fitzpatrick fared on Tuesday.

 

Analysis : Fitzpatrick had his good and bad moments. He got off to a solid start, completing passes to Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, and Quincy Enunwa out of the gate in addition to having one knocked down by cornerback Dexter McDougle. In red zone, Fitzpatrick tried to jam a pass into the end zone along the sideline to Enunwa, but cornerback Dashaun Phillips nearly picked it off. But Fitzpatrick did bounce right back by tossing touchdowns on quick throws to Decker and Marshall, and he did a nice job of stepping up in the pocket before finding Decker. All in all, a decent showing.

 

Grade: B

 

>   http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/08/ryan_fitzpatrick_report_card_from_tuesday_at_jets.html

[kelly]

@eallenjets if you had to highlight the 2 biggest challenges and 2 biggest pleasant surprises going into the regular season, what are they  ?

 

EA: Outstanding question. Last week, Coach Bowles said it takes time to right a team and creating a culture doesn’t happen overnight. There is a learning process for both the new staff and the players. Bowles, who has handled things head-on early, is universally respected throughout the NFL and the consensus is the Jets are in good hands. Each day, he preaches accountability, chemistry and work ethic. Offensively the players have been receptive to Chan Gailey’s system, but they have a new signal caller leading the charge in

 

Ryan Fitzpatrick. The heady Fitzpatrick, who is comfortable with Gailey, will lead his fifth practice with the first team on Tuesday. Time will be of the essence moving forward.  As far as pleasant surprises, I really like what I have seen out of new G James Carpenter. The 6’5”, 321-pounder, a huge man, has impressive footwork and can get out and pull. Corner Buster Skrine, a somewhat unheralded signing, has been fantastic. I don’t recall witnessing a camp where a corner had more PDs.

 

 

@eallenjets @nyjets do the Jets really feel they can win with Fritz ? How ?

 

EA: No. They really don’t feel like they can win with Fritz. Yes. They really do feel they can with Fitz. Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought in exactly for a situation like this – he is an extremely smart veteran who processes quick, knows where to go with the football and has experienced success under Chan Gailey.  On paper, the Jets defense is one of the most talented units in the league. Meanwhile on offense, the Jets finished 3^rd in the NFL on the ground last year, there is depth at running back and James Carpenter appears to be a real nice fit at LG. Last year, Fitz started 12 games in Houston while completing 63.1% of his passes with 17 TD and 8 INT. Those are winning numbers. He knows he doesn’t have to do it all himself and the Jets have some weapons around him – starting on the outside with

Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.

 

>  http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-1/EA-QA-Jets-Can-Win-with-Fitz/cb07a8b1-c1eb-4d6b-8075-14674ca5974d

[kelly]

-- This all started with Tim Tebow.

 

The New York Jets had a relatively stable quarterback situation until Tebow arrived in 2012, which is when the chaos began. Since then, we've witnessed a dizzying parade of quarterbacks at One Jets Drive, a virtual Conga line of washed-up veterans, neophytes and hopes for the future. The addition of veteran Matt Flynn, who signed a one-year contract on Wednesday, makes it 11 quarterbacks since 2012 (not counting undrafted rookies).

 

A chronological look back :

 

Mark Sanchez: He was the Golden Boy. And then he wasn't. His run ended ignominiously, behind a second-team offensive line in the fourth quarter of a preseason game. He wrecked his throwing shoulder, but, hey, the Jets won the Snoopy Trophy.

 

Tim Tebow: An unmitigated disaster. To this day, Jets fans get queasy when they hear the word "Wildcat."

 

Greg McElroy: Once tried to hide a concussion so he could stay in the starting lineup. Now an ESPN college football analyst.

 

Geno Smith: His jaw was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now there's a chance he may not get back his starting job.

 

David Garrard: Retired two months after signing a free-agent contract, blaming a chronic knee injury. Returned months later after training his wife for her flag-football team, convincing him his knee was OK. Never played a down for the Jets.

 

Brady Quinn: Another former Golden Boy -- literally. The former Notre Dame star never played a down for the Jets, but a heck of a nice guy.

 

Michael Vick: Conceded the starting job to Smith before taking a snap and later admitted he was ill-prepared for mop-up duty in a blowout loss.

 

Matt Simms: The son of Phil finally got tired of being passed over, so he requested his release in the spring. Now battling for a roster spot with the Buffalo Bills.

 

Ryan Fitzpatrick: The new starter delivered the quote of the summer. Referring to his transient career (six teams in 10 years), he said, "My normal is craziness." He should fit right in.

 

Bryce Petty: Could be the quarterback of the future. Or maybe not. This much is certain: He'll have plenty of stories to tell his grandkids.

 

Matt Flynn: Wealthiest man in the quarterback room, having made more than $18 million in his career despite having only seven starts. In other words, he's perfect.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53219/jets-quarterback-carousel-continues-to-spin-at-dizzying-speed

[kelly]

-- Thursday morning's wake-up call, Day 22 of New York Jets training camp :

 

What's happening: There is no practice, as the Jets rest before they play the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night at MetLife Stadium. The next practice will be Sunday at Hofstra University, their annual "Family Night" practice on Long Island.

 

What's hot: It won't be a day of R&R for newly-signed quarterback Matt Flynn, who is taking a crash course in Chan Gailey 101. Flynn is four months behind the other quarterbacks, who started learning Gailey's playbook in April. You have to figure he'll spend a long day in the classroom, learning. The well-traveled Flynn said there are some similarities in terminology between Gailey's offense and the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots' systems -- two of his past teams -- but he's essentially starting from square one. He's also recovering from an old hamstring injury. Obviously, he won't play against the Falcons, but the hope is that he could ready for a cameo the following week against the New York Giants. Flynn can't assume he will be on the 53-man roster. "No guarantees," he said.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53241/jets-get-a-day-off-but-not-newbie-quarterback-matt-flynn

[sackdance]

Enjoyed the article - but it's missing a major ingredient.

 

Over the past four seasons the play from our starting quarterbacks (Sanchez, Smith) has been bottom of the barrel, not even approaching adequate or acceptable. 

 

When our starter is not the worst QB in the league, then ya know what? Our backup quarterback won't be that big of a story.  

 

When our starter is atrocious (and the fates have dealt us 4 straight seasons of it - and potentially more) fans look at the backup pretty intently.  

 

So this instability did not start with Tebow's presence. It did not come from Vick's half-caring, or McElroy's big mouth ... it didn't even start with Rex or Tanny. The instability starts and stays when we perpetually field a QB/WR corps that can't attempt a 10-yd square out without seriously risking a pick six.

[kelly]

-- At least one member of the Buffalo Bills is bummed out about Geno Smith's jaw injury. Fred Jackson, the well-respected running back, would rather face Smith than Ryan Fitzpatrick when they play the New York Jets.

 

“Without a doubt,” Jackson said on CBS Sports Radio’s "Tiki and Tierney" show. “Fitz was one of my favorite quarterbacks to play with. I would much rather have faced Geno than face Fitz. I’m a little biased on that just because he’s a great friend of mine, but I know what he brings to the table. He’s probably the smartest, if not one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league. It will be a lot of fun to compete against them, but I know we have to bring our A-game when we do.”

 

It's unusual for an opponent to admit this sort of thing. In this case, he probably wasn't trying to insult Smith. As Jackson mentioned, he and Fitzpatrick were teammates with the Bills, from 2010 to 2012.The Jets and Bills don't play until Week 10, a Thursday night game (Nov. 12) at MetLife Stadium. By then, Smith should be healthy, so who knows who will be at quarterback for the Jets? Maybe Jackson will get his wish.

 

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53251/geno-smith-or-ryan-fitzpatrick-a-no-brainer-according-to-bills-rb-fred-jackson

[JustInFudge]

-- At least one member of the Buffalo Bills is bummed out about Geno Smith's jaw injury. Fred Jackson, the well-respected running back, would rather face Smith than Ryan Fitzpatrick when they play the New York Jets.

 

“Without a doubt,” Jackson said on CBS Sports Radio’s "Tiki and Tierney" show. “Fitz was one of my favorite quarterbacks to play with. I would much rather have faced Geno than face Fitz. I’m a little biased on that just because he’s a great friend of mine, but I know what he brings to the table. He’s probably the smartest, if not one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league. It will be a lot of fun to compete against them, but I know we have to bring our A-game when we do.”

 

It's unusual for an opponent to admit this sort of thing. In this case, he probably wasn't trying to insult Smith. As Jackson mentioned, he and Fitzpatrick were teammates with the Bills, from 2010 to 2012.The Jets and Bills don't play until Week 10, a Thursday night game (Nov. 12) at MetLife Stadium. By then, Smith should be healthy, so who knows who will be at quarterback for the Jets? Maybe Jackson will get his wish.

 

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53251/geno-smith-or-ryan-fitzpatrick-a-no-brainer-according-to-bills-rb-fred-jackson

 

That's fun to read. 

[kelly]

Flynn  : 'My Focus Has to Be Learning'

 

video..

>  http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/Flynn-My-Focus-Has-to-Be-Learning/87a2fcee-c27f-4cd7-b948-61828b529e55

[kelly]

REALITY: With a few tweaks, Fitzpatrick could be an above-average starter in the right offense.

 

In the NFL, no term is more complimentary and pejorative at the same time than “game manager.” The game-manager quarterback is there to keep things under control, to follow the lead of his coaches explicitly, to use his veteran acumen to understand what is happening on the field at all times and to avoid coloring outside the lines and moving too far into his limitations. He’s an athletically limited player, to be sure, but he’ll have a job in the league as a backup and spot starter as long as his arm holds up and there’s a need for his relative reliability.Throughout his career, Ryan Fitzpatrick has been a game manager—both good and bad. A seventh-round pick out of Harvard in 2005, Fitzpatrick has bounced from team to team over the last decade. In the last three seasons, he's played for Buffalo, Tennessee and Houston, and his numbers over that time are more impressive than you might think. He ranks 20th among all starting quarterbacks from 2012 through '14 in completions (1,167), attempts (720) and passing yards (8,337). He ranks 19th in touchdown passes over that time with 55, and his three-year quarterback rating of 86.1 ranks 14th. Last year for the Texans, he ranked 16th in Pro Football Focus’s quarterback rating metrics and 16th in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted per-play stats. But due to a protracted quarterback battle with the Texans that found him on the outside looking in, he was sent to the Jets for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in Marc

 

That transaction didn’t make headlines at the time, though it certainly became far more important when then Jets linebacker IK Enemkpali used Geno Smith’s face as a punching bag on August 11, sidelining Smith for 6–10 weeks. Immediately, Fitzpatrick became the Jets’ starter, and the immediate response to that notion was somewhere between “The Jets are done for” and “Well, maybe he’s better than Geno.” In truth, Fitzpatrick is the right kind of quarterback for a team with a strong defense and running game, a good offensive line and receivers who can make gains after the catch and occasionally go deep.The Jets may fit that description. The acquisition via trade of possession receiver Brandon Marshall and via draft of Ohio State speedster Devin Smith gives the team more weapons than it had last season, and Fitzpatrick is not a developmental player. Everyone knows what he is and isn’t,especially new Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who was Buffalo’s head coach from 2010 through 2012. Gailey has always been a wizard when it comes to bringing the best out of marginally talented quarterbacks, and that worked with Fitzpatrick before. Problems arose when both Gailey and Fitzpatrick tried to test the limits of the quarterback’s talents, and he led the league in interceptions with 23 in 2011.

 

Under head coach Todd Bowles, things should be a bit more manageable. Bowles is a defensive coach who will undoubtedly put Fitzpatrick on a strict “don't screw it up” regimen.“Ryan’s been a pro, he’s been there before,” Bowles said soon after Fitzpatrick was named the starter. “He’s had a lot of games under his belt, he knows the system, he knows how to throw the ball and he understands the game.”As for Fitzpatrick, he seems to get that it’s all about letting the run game and defense do the work, making the occasional explosive play, and limiting mistakes—in other words, the perfect game manager.I think knowledge and being comfortable in the system is going to help me,” Fitzpatrick recently remarked. “That being said, I’ve got to be able to make all the throws, I have to be able to get us in the right plays, the right protections. I’ve got to be able to understand all those game situations, make smart plays, all that different stuff. There’s a lot of comfort for me in Chan’s system. There’s also a lot I’ll continue to get better at in terms of game situations and being a smart quarterbackSmart quarterbacking is good, though tagging Fitzpatrick as an Alex Smith clone may be underrating his prospects. Smith almost never throws the deep pass, and when he does, the results generally aren’t pretty. In 2014, Fitzpatrick completed 20 of 38 passes over 20 yards in the air for 687 yards, six touchdowns and three picks. He's a good play-action player who is surprisingly mobile, and as long as he doesn’t color outside the lines, things should be fine.

What are those lines, and what are Fitzpatrick’s attributes and limitations? Let's take a closer look.

The Plays

The first play comes in Week 13 against the Titans in 2014, with 4:55 left in the first quarter of Fitzpatrick’s best-ever game, in which he threw six touchdown passes. A lot of these were simple reads and open throws, but two plays bear mention. On this play, running back Arian Foster runs an up-and-out, Fitzpatrick is pressured to his front side, and he makes a well-timed seven-yard touchdown throw despite the fact that he’s rocked off his base by the pressure. This is one of several instances I saw where Fitzpatrick displayed the raw arm strength to make throws requiring quick timing without perfect mechanics. That he tries to do so too often is another matter, but we’ll get to that soon.With 11:11 left in the fourth quarter of that same game, Fitzpatrick drifts left as he waits for Andre Johnson to pry himself open from cornerback Jason McCourty. As Johnson does so, Fitzpatrick throws a great bullet to the boundary side, knowing that Johnson would have the physical advantage to the edge. Again, he does have a good combination of short-area velocity and accuracy—not only does he fire the ball where it needs to go with good timing, he understands the importance of throwing the ball to the side of the receiver’s advantage.

 

However, Fitzpatrick consistently shows the most vulnerability in his predilection for making dangerous throws under pressure. It’s a repeated problem, and it's the primary aspect of his play that undoes him as a potential starterThe first example we’ll show happened with 5:54 in the second quarter of Houston’s Week 4 game against the Bills. Fitzpatrick is first pressured by right end Jerry Hughes, and then sandwiched by left defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. Under pressure and off his base, Fitzpatrick throws up a deep duck with folded-over throwing mechanics that is picked off by Buffalo cornerback Leodis McKelvin. Receiver DeAndre Hopkins may have won that battle with a more accurate throw, but it's just as easy to argue for the checkdown. Hero Syndrome isn’t a plus, even when you have a plus This pick came with 11:17 left in the first quarter of the Texans’ Week 5 game against Dallas. Houston goes with a 3x1 set with Foster on the outside left. It’s clear that the play calls for a clearout to the backside, because it's a quick throw and Fitzpatrick doesn’t even look to the left. One problem: Foster keeps running up the field as Fitzpatrick obviously thinks he’s going to run some sort of comeback route. Second problem: He throws the ball against his body before his body is fully turned, taking off some of the torque. The confusion over the outside route isn’t any one player's fault, but this is another example of the passing game zigging when it should have zagged.

 

This interception by Steelers tackle Brett Keisel is a good indicator of Fitzpatrick’s tendency to break down in his overall mechanics. In Week 7, with 1:03 left in the first half, Pittsburgh linebacker Jason Worilds thumps right tackle Derek Newton, forcing pressure to Fitzpatrick’s front side. Fitzpatrick responds with an off-balance throw in which his feet aren’t planted, and the relative lack of velocity causes the ball to bounce off Keisel’s hand, then off linebacker Lawrence Timmons, and back to Keisel. Far too often through his career, Fitzpatrick has made marginal short- and middle-distance throws under pressure, and it’s something he needs to correct if he’s to make an impact as a starter at any time during his career. The best quarterbacks maintain the integrity of their mechanics even under pressure; it's a key to consistency. In Fitzpatrick's case, it’s his Achilles’ heel.

 

Here’s the ideal Fitzpatrick throw—the one Bowles and Gailey and his teammates hope they see frequently. It's Week 3 against the Giants, with 2:21 left in the third quarter. The Texans operate out of a one-back, one-tight end Pistol backfield, which gives Fitzpatrick a play-action opportunity. He looks deep safety Stevie Brown off to the left, where Andre Johnson is running a quicker in-route. Fitzpatrick’s real target is Damaris Johnson, who’s running a deep vertical route from the right slot. Johnson outruns slot cornerback Trumaine McBride, and Brown’s delay over the top—caused by Fitzpatrick's field awareness—is the deciding factor. The result: A 44-yard touchdown.There's good and bad to Fitzpatrick’s game, but there's enough good for the veteran to give football another shot, and for the Jets to have a measure of hope in 2015.“If I didn’t want to be here and if I didn’t love this game and I didn’t have confidence in myself, then I wouldn’t be standing in front of you guys,” he said at his first press conference as the Jets’ starter. “I would be on vacation with my five kids and sailing off into the sunset with a career that nobody would probably have thought I would have had. But for me, I’m not satisfied with what I’ve done. I feel like there is so much more that I can continue to improve on and get better with and I’m really excited for the challenge.”

 

So should he be. Ryan Fitzpatrick may have found the right place at the right time.

 

>   http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/08/19/ryan-fitzpatrick-new-york-jets-starting-quarterback-geno-smith?xid=si_social

[kelly]

The New York Jets play at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday vs. the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium. Here are a couple of things to watch for during the game :

 

Why watch: It'll be the first extended look at Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets' first-team offense. They kept it pretty basic last week (one series, nine plays), but this will be a better gauge of Chan Gailey's offense. They should open it up a little, giving Fitzpatrick a chance to build chemistry with wide receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall. Fitzpatrick, replacing the injured Geno Smith, needs to get comfortable behind his offensive line. Let him throw. Look for the starters to play about a half. The defense will look to rebound after a disappointing opener. Just tackle, baby.

 

Did you know: Falcons coach Dan Quinn interviewed for the Jets' head-coaching vacancy last January and was considered the leading candidate at one point. At the same time, Todd Bowles was considered a strong candidate in Atlanta. It could've been Quinn coaching the Jets, and Bowles the Falcons. Funny business, the NFL.

 

>  http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53294/ryan-fitzpatrick-co-encounter-first-real-test-against-falcons

[kelly]

-- It took Geno Smith far too long to catch on. But it appears the gravity of the potential damage he's done to his career finally hit him in the past week. Smith and everyone around him have gone underground.But it didn't happen before that Instagram photo of Smith was posted with the Schwarzenegger-esque promise "I'll be back!" the same day then-teammate IK Enemkpali broke his jaw in the locker room fight. The sight of first-year New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles scoffing and basically telling reporters you're damn right Smith could lose his starting quarterback job because of his injury might have something to do with the disappearing act.

 

The Geno Smith punching incident reminds us that teammates don't always get along. Here are 10 memorable physical altercations between players, and even coaches, on the same side.The last nudge seems to have been the reprimand Smith got from the Jets after a New York Post stakeout outside Smith's New Jersey home resulted in a photo of a shirtless Smith defying doctors' orders and playing catch with a football, even though he was just out of surgery to insert a plate and screws into his mending jaw. Once again, Bowles -- who didn't let Smith off the hook for the altercation with Enemkpali, saying "it takes two to tango" -- was highly displeased.Smith had better soon realize that he still has a chance to quit living down to the pre-draft questions about his leadership skills, judgment and maturity that sent him spiraling out of the first round and into the lap of a clueless Jets regime led by rookie general manager John Idzik, who drafted Smith in the second round in 2013 and was fired after two seasons.

During his first training camp as a head coach, Jets coach Todd Bowles has expressed his frustration at having to deal with Geno Smith getting punched in the locker room. 

But Smith doesn't have much time to change opinions around the league. His contract expires after next season. He's not even a lock to be back after this season.Smith's mother, who helps run a counseling service for single parents in the Miami area, flew to New Jersey to be with him this week. John Thornton, a registered agent and sometime adviser to Smith, said in a brief phone interview that Smith has no intention of giving any interviews right now, not even to give his version of what led to him being punched by Enemkpali.News reports have said the beef was over an unpaid $600 debt for an airline ticket after Smith backed out of the second-year linebacker's football camp in Texas. Smith reportedly missed the camp without notifying Enemkpali because a family friend had been killed in Florida.Friends of Enemkpali have since said that Smith was the provoker in the locker room incident. Bowles was the most notable voice among those in the Jets' camp who have placed at least part of the blame on Smith.

 

Thus far, receiver Brandon Marshall is the only Jets player to unequivocally say Smith wasn't at fault for the incident. And even then it took Marshall, who stayed with Smith after being traded from the Bears to the Jets this offseason, an entire week to finally step up. Meanwhile, Enemkpali was picked up by the Bills the day after his release and told reporters in Buffalo that many of his ex-Jets teammates had reached out to check on him -- which was taken as another backhanded slap at Smith's stature within his own team.At this point, Smith should be concerned that these questions now swirling around him about his leadership, his awareness and his maturity aren't new. They were raised in the scouting reports that began leaking out about him two years ago, in the days before and after he fell to the second round of the draft and fired his agents.

Brandon Marshall, right, was the first Jets player to publicly defend Smith. 

At one point Smith actually fancied himself having a shot at being the No. 1 overall pick after he left West Virginia. But as draft day approached, Nolan Nawrocki, then a draft analyst for Pro Football Weekly, put out a highly controversial report saying Smith was "not a student of the game. Nonchalant field presence -- does not command respect from teammates and cannot inspire. ... Needed to be coddled in college -- cannot handle hard coaching."After Smith indeed fell down the board, Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports cited two league sources who echoed many of the same themes. One unidentified league source told Cole that Smith "doesn't have much presence, not much of a leader. I don't think he's a bad person, but that's not enough to be a quarterback in this league."

Cole quoted another source on Smith's biggest problem: "He doesn't know what he doesn't know. I'm not sure he knows how to take instruction because he pretty much wouldn't listen or talk to our coaches ... he's talented. He can sling it, he can fit it into tight spots, he can do a lot of things and I think he wants to be good. But you can't tell him anything right now. He's tuned out because he thinks he's got it all down."

A few months later, West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen had to clarify what he meant after he said the Mountaineers' fade from a fast start to a lousy finish and a bowl game loss in Smith's final season was due to a lack of leadership. Holgorsen insisted he didn't intend the remarks to be a swipe at Smith, a team co-captain. But not everyone believed him.Now this: Smith's scuffle with Enemkpali. It was the worst example yet that Smith hasn't done enough in his first two seasons with the Jets to acquit himself of the criticism. Even before he suffered the broken jaw, Smith had been mocked in New York for three 2014 incidents: getting thrown off a Virgin America flight in Los Angeles for refusing the flight crew's orders to turn off his cellphone; missing a Jets meeting the night before a game against San Diego because he was at the movies and got the time change wrong; and cursing out a home fan at MetLife Stadium.

 

In short, Smith's behavior since The Punch has brought the old concerns about him before The Punch boomeranging back around. It has given the old raps on him new currency.

It didn't take IK Enemkpali long to find work after the Jets waived him for punching Smith. The linebacker was reunited with former New York coach Rex Ryan in Buffalo. 

"You're right -- this latest incident is reminiscent of exactly the sort of things that were being said about him before the draft," said a former NFL general manager who studied whether to select Smith and decided against it. "I don't want to blast the kid and get into the exact wording that was in the reports. But basically we went to his practices and noticed he just had a kind of nonchalant attitude. Not a lot of competitiveness there. Just real loosey-goosey, almost. Like he was there to have fun. And there were concerns about where he was as a leader. Those were conversations we had and I'm sure all 32 teams had as well."Smith doesn't seem to realize that much is given to franchise quarterbacks because much is expected. Today's NFL teams are billion-dollar operations. The league rules are geared toward rewarding offenses and terrific quarterback play. Teammates depend on you.There's simply no room for wannabe starting quarterbacks who don't understand the level of responsibility that goes with playing the most important position on the team. Or that those responsibilities include not jeopardizing your season or your team's season and locker room harmony over a $600 disagreement.

 

"I mean, why not just pay the $600 and move on?" the former GM said. "It's a shame."

 

In the past, Smith's supporters wondered out loud if some of the things said about him were just code words, blatant expressions of the sort of racist stuff that African-American quarterbacks have had to deal with all too often.But with every misstep or tone-deaf flub Smith commits, he makes the prophecies about him look more color-blind. He's revived the doubts.He's the one that looks blind to some important realities.If Smith is smart, maybe he can use these six to 10 weeks of recovery time to plan how he can come back a more astute, more serious-minded, more self-aware teammate and player. If this isn't a wake-up call, you wonder if there is any hope for him.He finally has to get that there really are certain behaviors that aren't acceptable for an NFL quarterback. And losing the guys in your own locker room, rather than rallying them around you, sits at the top of the list.

 

> http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13471307/punch-just-latest-evidence-geno-smith-critics-were-target

[kelly]

The New York Jets rank 30th in passer rating and 29th in Total QBR over the past five seasons, counting playoffs. And an ugly situation became downright bizarre two weeks ago when a teammate slugged projected starter Geno Smith, leaving the third-year pro with a broken jaw.Analysts correctly pointed out that Smith's unfortunate injury probably actually upgraded the team's quarterback situation by pushing veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick into the starting lineup. That line of thinking said more about Smith's futility -- he was 32nd and last among NFL starters when ESPN surveyed 35 coaches and personnel evaluators -- than it said about Fitzpatrick's excellence. But in the wacky world of NFL economics, Fitzpatrick has to rank among the great values in the league this season. The evidence suggests he's a player the Jets can win with as long as their defense returns to the form it showed before the past couple of seasons.

As the chart shows, Fitzpatrick's production over the past five seasons lines up almost exactly with the production over the same span for veteran starters playing on much more expensive contracts. Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton average $16.87 million in annual salary compensation, compared to $3.625 million for Fitzpatrick, but there is virtually no difference between those players' production. All have completed about 61 percent of their passes. They have averaged right around 7.0 yards per pass attempt with roughly 100 touchdowns and 72 interceptions. Their passer ratings are in the low 80s. Their Total QBR scores are right around 50, the level associated with average play.

Since 2010	Jay Cutler	Carson Palmer	Andy Dalton	Ryan Fitzpatrick
Comp	1,313	1,409	1,371	1,328
Att	2,138	2,275	2,234	2,177
Pct.	61.4%	61.9%	61.4%	61.0%
Yards	15,413	16,641	15,476	15,169
Yards/Att	7.2	7.3	6.9	7.0
TDs	104	96	100	102
INTs	68	75	72	74
TD/INT	1.5	1.3	1.4	1.4
Passer Rating	86.3	84.5	83.6	83.4
QBR	51.9	50.1	48.7	46.9
Avg. Pay	$18,100,000	$16,500,000	$16,000,000	$3,625,000

Cutler and Palmer have first-round draft pedigrees. They're more gifted than the other two from a physical standpoint, and sometimes that translates to the field. But the way a quarterback is perceived often has much to do with the team around him. Middling quarterbacks paired with elite defenses will win games and sign contracts worth more than $15 million per season. Cutler, Palmer and Dalton prove that point.Palmer in particular has played at a higher level recently, ranking ninth in QBR (67.6) since Week 8 of the 2013 season. He has a 13-2 starting record over that span. Why the change? Palmer is talented, for one, but there is more to the equation. Team situations matter greatly for quarterbacks. Palmer has gone from playing in a terribly dysfunctional environment (Oakland in 2011-12) to playing in Arizona for Bruce Arians, one of the game's top offensive coaches. The Cardinals have ranked fifth in defensive expected points added (EPA) during that 13-2 starting streak for Palmer (the Raiders' defense was 31st when Palmer was in Oakland).

Cutler posted a 27-13 starting record with the Chicago Bears from 2010 to 2012 despite ranking 16th in QBR at 47.9 over that span. The key? The Bears' defense ranked first in EPA across those three seasons. Dalton has a 40-23-1 starting record since 2011 despite ranking 22nd in QBR at 50.8. Defense is the key variable once again as the Bengals have ranked third in defensive EPA over that span.Until last season, when Fitzpatrick posted a 6-6 starting record with Houston, he had always played for teams with among the worst defenses in the league. Using EPA per start, only Tony Romo has received less defensive support per start than Fitzpatrick has received since 2010 among the 26 quarterbacks with at least 40 qualifying starts. With so little help, is it any wonder Romo has been known more for spectacular failures than for ranking among the statistical leaders at the position?

Similarly, with so little help, is it any wonder Fitzpatrick's recent teams -- Buffalo and Tennessee in particular -- were so eager to part with him? The Bills and Titans have only gotten worse at the position since Fitzpatrick moved on. Without question, the Texans will have a hard time improving upon the 95.3 passer rating and 56.7 QBR score Fitzpatrick posted for them last season.As if on cue, Fitzpatrick is joining a defense that ranked as one of the NFL's worst last season. The Jets ranked 25th in defensive EPA and 29th in QBR allowed (68.4). They gave up 31 touchdown passes, the third-highest total in the league. They picked off six passes, which tied for the league low. But after signing cornerback Darrelle Revis as part of a defensive overhaul this offseason, the Jets could have the talent to improve significantly on that side of the ball, with improvements in the secondary and up front. And if that happens, Fitzpatrick could become a winning quarterback without performing at a dramatically higher level than he has achieved over the past five seasons.

>  http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/PreviewJetsFitzpatrick/why-new-qb-ryan-fitzpatrick-great-value-jets-nfl

[kelly]

- The New York Jets added more insurance at quarterback by signing Josh Johnson on Thursday night.

Johnson was released Tuesday by the Cincinnati Bengals after losing the No. 2 job to AJ McCarron. The Jets worked out Johnson on Thursday as coach Todd Bowles said the team was keeping its options open."We are just kicking the tires around in case somebody else gets hurt," Bowles said before the team signed Johnson later in the evening. "Just taking a look at quarterbacks."With Geno Smith (broken jaw) expected to miss the first four games, Ryan Fitzpatrick is the starter. The Jets, looking for an emergency quarterback with experience, signed Matt Flynn last week, but they gave him no guarantees other than a $60,000 signing bonus.

Flynn, still recovering from a pre-camp hamstring injury, took part in team drills Thursday, although the practice was largely a scout-team practice in preparation for the New York Giants on Saturday. Bowles said Flynn is not expected to play until the fourth preseason game.Flynn didn't receive a ringing endorsement from Bowles at the time of his signing, with the coach saying they opted for him because he was the only experienced quarterback available. The Jets used their fourth-round pick on former Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty, but the rookie still has a ways to go."He has to progress," Bowles said when asked whether Petty can do something before the season opener to earn the backup job. "To say that he's going to get better in two weeks and be ready for the season is wrong."You just want him to get better. As the season goes and as the practices go, and he gets more comfortable, he will be ready when he's ready. It is not a two-week thing for him."

To make room on the roster for Johnson, the Jets waived undrafted rookie quarterback Jake Heaps.Johnson, 29, has played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Bengals and San Francisco 49ers. His career numbers: 96-for-177, 1,042 yards, five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His record as a starter is 0-5.He didn't play in the Bengals' most recent preseason game. In the first game, he completed 11 of 21 passes for 175 yards.

> http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/13528542/new-york-jets-sign-josh-johnson-quarterback-insurance

[Jetman55]

Jets QB situation is clear...a clear mess.

[#27TheDominator]

I guess that Petty is going to play the entire 2nd half.  Johnson or Flynn will probably play the last preseason game.  I doubt either is really ready to go against the Giants.

[kelly]

New York Jets  : The Jets pared their roster to 78 on Sunday, which means they have three moves to make by Tuesday. The focus shifts to quarterback. They have five on the roster, and one has to go -- Matt Flynn or Josh Johnson. The coaches hope Flynn, recovering from a hamstring injury, can practice and play in the preseason finale. His job could be riding on it. -- Rich Cimini

rest of above article :

>   http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13546034/more-first-team-work-jimmy-garoppolo-monday-nfl-preview

[kelly]

A quick observation of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and how he has played in preparation for the season opener on Sept. 13 against the Cleveland Browns :

For the first two weeks of training camp, Fitzpatrick was the quintessential veteran backup, receiving no practice reps with the starters but supporting Geno Smith. Everything changed in a nanosecond, when IK Enemkpali slugged Smith in the face, breaking his jaw. Just like that, Fitzpatrick was the starter.

Fitzpatrick has handled the unexpected change extremely well. He has improved each week, creating positive momentum on offense as they head into the season opener. In 12 possessions, he hasn't committed a single turnover -- no small feat if you've studied the Jets' quarterbacks in recent years. He has completed 68 percent of his passes, with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 106.4 passer rating.He worked previously under offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, reducing the learning curve. Not many quarterbacks could've stepped into the job as seamlessly as Fitzpatrick, but his familiarity with Gailey's system has helped tremendously. He knows the offense cold, and the players respect that. They also like his even-keeled demeanor and his vast experience in the league; he's starting for his sixth team.

Fitzpatrick delivers the ball quickly and on time, if not with a lot of zip. Clearly, there's a dropoff in arm strength from Smith to Fitzpatrick, but the Jets are hoping Fitzpatrick's savvy can make up the difference. They may have uncovered something Saturday night against the New York Giants, moving the pocket and allowing him to throw on the run. It worked well.But hold the parade; preseason performances can be deceiving. He has faced only 4-3 defenses in the preseason, three teams that didn't blitz much and kept it fairly vanilla. That won't be the case against the Browns, a 3-4 base defense with exotic pressure packages. They also won't be afraid to challenge receivers on the outside.

Fitzpatrick did as well as could be expected in the preseason, considering the upheaval at the position, but there's a reason why he has bounced around the NFL. He's not a franchise-caliber quarterback, but he can be the right guy for the Jets if he makes good decisions and manages the game. It's not like he's replacing a Manning brother.

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53668/jets-qb-ryan-fitzpatrick-a-thumbs-up-so-far

[kelly]

-- There will be no drum roll for this quarterback announcement, that's for sure.

Bryce Petty or Matt Flynn  ?

Todd Bowles said Monday he hasn't decided which quarterback will start for the New York Jets in the preseason finale Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. We know it won't be Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will get the night off, as will most of the starters."As much as (Petty) needs playing time, I need to see those other two guys play, too," said Bowles, referring to Flynn and Josh Johnson.

The smart decision: Start Flynn.

If the plan is to make him the No. 2 quarterback for opening day -- that's why they signed him, right? -- the Jets have to get him some work against the Eagles. Flynn, who pulled a hamstring while training before camp, practiced Monday for the first time since signing with the Jets on Aug. 18. Come to think of it, it was his first practice since last season with the Green Bay Packers.Flynn has been watching for two weeks, playing the role of sponge -- absorbing the playbook and the wisdom of Chan Gailey. The man is rusty; he played only 67 snaps last season as Aaron Rodgers' caddie. Flynn needs to play, and it might as well be the first half against the Eagles. It wouldn't be quality time -- he'd be surrounded by backups on both sides of the ball -- but it's the best time they've got left.

The development of Petty has to be set aside, because the regular-season in only 13 days away. Besides, Petty can play the second half, along with Josh Johnson. Petty has had plenty of work in the preseason -- 27-for-45, 260 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions.It's hard to keep track of the Jets' quarterbacks, isn't it? Things got crazy on Aug. 11, when Geno Smith was punched in the face by then-teammate Ikemefuna Enemkpali. Fitzpatrick was elevated to No. 1, but there was a void at No. 2 -- no one with experience. Petty has upside, but he's not ready to be the No. 2, at least not in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns.

"I would definitely expect to get snaps (on Thursday)," Flynn said. "I don't know how they're going to break it up."Bowles confirmed that Flynn will play, barring a hamstring setback in practice. Johnson, signed last week as an emergency option, also could play. They added him, Bowles explained, because there was uncertainty with Flynn's hamstring.

"Obviously, they liked what they saw," Johnson said, referring to his workout last week. "Now it's an opportunity to go in the game and show what I can do."The fourth preseason game is a Backup Bowl, populated by players on the bottom half of the roster. As Flynn said, "I've played in a lot of preseason games and a lot of fourth preseason games. It always seems the fourth game is the most fun, just because a lot of guys are fighting for their lives out there."

Flynn is one of those guys, and the Jets have to find out if he's a worthy insurance policy -- at least until Smith's jaw is healed.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53708/with-ryan-fitzpatrick-sitting-matt-flynn-should-get-nod-in-jets-finale

[kelly]

Mike Sando NFL Insider 

QB moves made by the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets mean three of the five lowest-rated players in the 2015 QB Tiers project lost their jobs before the season. The Jets' decision was made for them, but in my view, it was only a matter of time before Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced Geno Smith. Via ESPN Insider: http://es.pn/1GyFNCT

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

[kelly]

-- Kevin Patullo is the New York Jets' quarterbacks coach. He doesn't often speak to the media, but he did on Tuesday, discussing Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and Bryce Petty. He offered some insights, although he stayed away from anything related to Smith and the locker-room altercation with IK Enemkpali. He referred those questions to Todd Bowles.

Some of the highlights from Patullo's session with reporters  :

On the difference between Fitzpatrick now and the last time he was around him as a Buffalo Bills' assistant (2010-2012): "He's a lot more mature in that his knowledge has grown even more, if that's possible. ... We've changed gears a little bit here and there [with our system], and he went to Tennessee and Houston, and I can tell his knowledge has grown. He's a lot more mature in that aspect, seeing looks, which is great because you want the quarterback to see defensive looks the right way."

On whether Fitzpatrick, now eight months removed from surgery to repair a broken leg, is displaying more zip on his passes than he did in the spring: "It's hard to say. He's such a touch and timing guy. Every ball looks different, so it's hard to say. He's not going to hold it and drive it late. He's going to throw with anticipation and timing. It doesn't look any different to me."

On whether he misses Smith's arm strength: "Geno can throw the ball, we all know that. To be honest, as long as we're on time, we're making the right reads and we get it out, it's really not a problem."

On how Smith is handling the inactivity as he recovers from a broken jaw: "He's back in the meetings, talking with us. It was like he was there the whole time. ... He hasn't changed. This morning we talked about certain looks. He's involved. He's saying, 'I might do this, I might do that.' We feed off each other, and that's what is important. He's in there now with all of us. There's no difference."

On how Smith was faring before the injury: "He was doing well. He was really coming along. He came a long way from Day 1 until training camp. Just his overall ... from the time he called his first play in the huddle in the indoor in a walk-through to the time of his last play. I mean, he really came a long way in that aspect -- everything. His whole mechanics as far as coming to the line, knowing the ID and that stuff. He really came a long way."

His evaluation of Petty: "Bryce is doing a good job, coming along and learning. I mean, I'm pretty happy with him. He's had to learn a lot from Day 1 until now. He's definitely grown. Everything is new toward him, but he's doing a great job. In the classroom, he's great. He talks like a veteran guy. He understands what we're saying. He's grown up and matured as far as defensive looks. That's the biggest thing for rookies. ... The defensive recognition part is what he has to learn more. That's the hardest part about the quarterback position at this level, I think."

On whether he prefers a veteran in the backup role: "It doesn't really matter. As long as we know who it is, we just have to make sure we control what they know, don't know and how to handle everybody around them. As long as he's comfortable with the game plan, we're comfortable with him. It's really not that big of a deal."

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53744/jets-qbs-coach-talks-ryan-fitzpatrick-geno-smith-but-avoids-you-know-what

[kelly]

It has been close to three months since Jets QB coach Kevin Patullo addressed the media. In that time, a lot has changed. The Jets have a new starting quarterback, has appeared in three preseason contests and the Green & White have added a pair of veterans for insurance as continues to work his way back from a broken jaw.

Fitz Has Grown

Patullo, who was an offensive assistant under Chan Gailey in Buffalo from 2010-’12, believes took immeasurable strides the last couple of years in Tennessee and Houston.“I can tell his knowledge has grown with the game and his defensive looks and what he sees and can carry it over,” Patullo said today. “His knowledge has grown a lot. He’s a lot more mature in that aspect - seeing looks.”

After Fitzpatrick suffered a broken leg last December, the Jets took a cautious approach with the Harvard product in the spring. He was full-go at the beginning of training camp and has thrown the ball with a lot of zip recently.“He’s so much of a timing guy. Every ball looks different, so it’s really hard to say,” Patullo said when I asked about Fitzpatrick’s arm strength. “He’s not a hold on and wait and drive it late – he’s going to throw with anticipation and timing, so it’s kind of hard to say. It doesn’t look any different to me though.”

Entering his 11th NFL season and having already experienced success under Chan Gailey, Fitzpatrick has become a valuable mentor for rookie Bryce Petty.“It’s huge because he can talk through things. He’s experienced it all: the highs, the lows, the blitzes, the picking it up, the not picking it up, seeing it,” Patullo said. “Even Matt (Flynn) is the same way. Matt knows a lot of football and he’s seen a lot of plays, so he’s able to help and even talking to Bryce. Even on the sideline the other day, Matt was talking through stuff with him so all those veteran guys are a great influence on Bryce.”

Experience Key for Petty

Petty, a fourth-round selection from Baylor, has completed 60% of his passes in the preseason. The 6’3”, 230-pounder has displayed excellent arm strength, looked poised in the pocket and benefited from his reps both in practice and in game action.“Bryce is doing a good job, coming along and learning. I’m pretty happy with him,” Patullo said. “He’s had to learn a lot from Day 1 until now and it’s definitely growing. Everything’s new towards him, but he’s doing a great job. In the classroom, he’s great. He talks like a veteran guy, he understands what we’re saying, he’s growing up and matured as far as defensive looks. That’s the biggest thing for rookies is defensive looks.”

Petty has been sacked four times this summer and failed to recognize a blitz against the Giants Saturday night.“You have to be able to adjust and try to use some keys to try to do the best you can,” Patullo said. “If you miss it, you have to be able to adapt and quickly now. This is my problem and make it work.”

Flynn to Fly Against Eagles

While Todd Bowles remained non-committal about whether Petty would play vs. the Eagles, the first-year head coach stressed that he needs to see Matt Flynn in action.“What we’re trying to do is relay to him maybe what he called in a prior offense – here’s what it is, here’s what it’s like,” Patullo said. “Try to read it like this, try to do… so that’s how you have to try to hit those guys and he’s doing pretty well with it. Everybody kind of does the same thing – it just depends on what they call it. So I have to try to find those words and try to work him through that, massage that. But he’s doing pretty well.”

Smith On Pace

Smith, recovering from a broken jaw, has been able to throw the football during practice and continues to participate in meetings with the quarterbacks.“The whole offense was in. It was just some schematic things here or there, but we talked from the time he had surgery on about what we were doing and stuff like that. So from the mental aspect, he hasn’t missed anything,” said the Jets QB coach. “He’s totally up to speed.”

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Jets-QB-Summer-School-Progress-Report/edad520c-ff37-42a0-b722-fafe58510074

[kelly]

Jon Gruden is a fan of Geno Smith's physical talent, but he's like a lot of football people in that he's wondering if the New York Jets' quarterback could've avoided the infamous locker-room incident with then-teammate IK Enemkpali.

Either way, Gruden believes Smith deserves another chance at some point."I don't know the exactness of his role in what happened, but there's a lot of smoke," the ESPN "Monday Night Football" analyst said Wednesday on a conference call. "Wherever there's smoke, there's fire. I've never heard of anything like this, but I do think he he's a young quarterback with talent."I think (Ryan) Fitzpatrick, on his fifth or sixth team, will be a good bridge to the future," Gruden continued. "But you still have to find out who the future is. Is it Geno Smith? I think it's too early to give up on him. Hopefully, Fitzpatrick can play solid football until they have an opportunity to decide for themselves."

Gruden will see Fitzpatrick & Co. in a few weeks, as the Jets play on Monday night in Week 2 -- at the Indianapolis Colts. Fitzpatrick will be the starter as Smith recovers from a broken jaw, which will sideline him at least four games."I like Geno because I know what kind of talent he has," Gruden said. "There are tapes last year -- I think the Miami game ... where you say, 'Man, this guy has the ability to run and throw. There were some throws he made at New England last year that were unbelievable."

>  http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53766/espns-jon-gruden-say-its-too-soon-to-give-up-on-geno-smith

[Bigcrayon777]

I could not agree with you more Kelly.  Great post.

[kelly]

~ ~ New York Jets: The Jets' primary focus in the final preseason game is basic: Find a No. 2 quarterback for the first four games of the regular season -- or until Geno Smith has recovered from his broken jaw. With starter Ryan Fitzpatrick slated for a night off, Matt Flynn probably will start Thursday night against the Eagles. Flynn, signed Aug. 19, is the favorite for the job. Another veteran journeyman, Josh Johnson, signed Aug. 27 and also is expected to play. Rookie Bryce Petty, who has taken most of the preseason reps, could see time in a mop-up role. The ideal scenario for the Jets is Flynn doesn't reinjure his hamstring and plays well enough to serve as Fitzpatrick's insurance policy. -- Rich Cimin

rest of above article :

>   http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13568320/final-auditions-tim-tebow-other-players-bubble-nfl-rosters-thursday-nfl-preview

[kelly]

Matt Flynn may have locked up the Jets’ backup quarterback spot with a decent performance in Thursday’s 24-18 win over the Eagles in the preseason finale.Flynn played his first snaps of the preseason and made his case to be the short-term backup to Ryan Fitzpatrick while Geno Smith recovers from a broken jaw. Flynn, who had been dealing with a hamstring injury since he signed with the Jets two weeks ago, completed 10-of-14 passing for 136 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.After cornerback Darrin Walls intercepted Eagles quarterback Matt Barkley on the second play of the game, the Jets went run-heavy at first. But Flynn looked sharp on an 18-yard touchdown pass to Chris Owusu that put the Jets up 7-0.

Flynn added a second touchdown pass early in the second quarter, finding running back Zac Stacy for a 5-yard score. Flynn was far from perfect, though. His worst pass came near the Jets’ goal line when an awful throw was intercepted by Jaylen Watkins at the 4-yard line.Josh Johnson replaced Flynn at halftime, and also was impressive.Johnson went 7-for-12 for 82 yards and rushed for 77 yards on six carries.“It will be tough,” coach Todd Bowles said of the decision. “They bring different dynamics to the game. One can run and make some throws and get out of the pocket. The other one can manage the game as well as throw some timely balls and see the defenses. It will be tough. We’ll discuss it tonight. We’ve got some good players. There will be some hard cuts.”

The Jets want an experienced backup to play behind Fitzpatrick while Smith is on the shelf. Rookie Bryce Petty had some good moments in preseason, but the coaches do not feel he’s ready.

---

Bowles would not guarantee WR Jeremy Kerley will be on the 53-man roster. The five-year veteran seems to have fallen out of favor with the new coaching staff.“We’ll make those decisions tonight,” Bowles said after the game when asked directly about Kerley. “We’ve got a bunch of good receivers, so we’re going to take a look at them.”

Wide receiver may be one of the most difficult roster decisions for the Jets’ brass. Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall and rookie Devin Smith are definitely going to make it. Kerley and Quincy Enunwa have a very good chance of making it. If the Jets keep six receivers, that leaves one spot. Owusu may have won that spot with five catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. He also returned kicks.“We’ve got a bunch of tough decisions — wide receiver, defensive back, offensive line,” Bowles said. “We’ve got a bunch of guys who can play football in this league. Numbers wise there will be some tough decisions made.”

Thumbs up, thumbs down

Walls Island

Backup cornerback Darrin Walls had two interceptions, picking off both Eagles quarterbacks — Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow. Walls should make the roster.
Thumbs up

Whoa Owusu

WR Chris Owusu made his case for the final wide receiver spot on the roster, catching five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. Owusu missed most of camp with a concussion but was impressive when healthy.
Thumbs up

Bring on the season

The preseason is over. The Jets face the Browns on Sept. 13 in a game that counts.
Thumbs up

>    http://nypost.com/2015/09/03/matt-flynn-makes-strong-case-for-backup-qb-job-in-jets-win/?ref=yfp

[kelly]

-- Todd Bowles provided clarity Monday on the ever-changing quarterback depth chart. Sort of.

Commenting for the first time since the New York Jets made their final cuts, releasing veteran quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Josh Johnson, Bowles revealed the reason they signed the two veterans was because starter Ryan Fitzpatrick "wasn't totally healthy."

Wait, what?

"Just being nicked up, just normal injuries," Bowles said. "You didn't want anything to happen to him, so you have to have a contingency plan and you bring in some other guys."

Fitzpatrick's health bears watching because he broke his left leg last December while playing for the Houston Texans and had a steel rod surgically implanted into his lower leg. So if he's banged up after a couple of quarters of preseason work, spread out over two games, it's something to keep an eye on.When Flynn and Johnson were signed, Bowles said he wanted short-term insurance until Geno Smith recovered from his broken jaw. At the time, he suggested there was little chance of rookie Bryce Petty emerging as the No. 2 quarterback for Week 1.

On Monday, Bowles did an about-face.

"Bryce has gotten better each week," he said, acknowledging it's risky to keep a rookie in that role. "To say that the other guys that came in so late would know more than him at that point in time, we'd be lying. Bryce knows a little more than them. They have more experience than him, but not having a full grasp of the offense, you'd be getting pretty much the same thing. We just kept Bryce because we have a lot invested in him, so we're going to give him some reps."

Bowles said they have no plans to add another quarterback "at this time," saying it'll be a week-to-week situation. He didn't dismiss the possibility of adding a vested veteran after Week 1, when the player's entire salary wouldn't be guaranteed. Johnson would fall into the category, but not Flynn, who isn't eligible for a full guaranteed salary because he received termination pay in the past.

Bottom line: Fitzpatrick will start against the Cleveland Browns, Petty will back him up and Smith will be watching in street clothes.

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53917/latest-chapter-in-jets-qb-soap-opera-ryan-fitzpatrick-wasnt-totally-healthy