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Ryan Fitzpatrick: MERGED


kelly

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Gannon is who Fitz is more reminiscent of to me. Career backup/journeyman type, who lacked exceptional physical ability. Yet late in his career, found himself with the right team and the light seemed to go on for him. 

I'm not saying Fitz will be a league MVP like Gannon was, but I feel he is better than a lot of people give him credit for. And I do feel this team is the perfect spot for him at this point in his career. 

That's your best case scenario. Fitz isn't the physical specimen Vinny or Jim Plunkett were. He's got to do it with brains and balls. At his best, Gannon managed a 3:1 TD:int ratio, Fitz is at 2:1 the last two years. To his credit, Fitz's TD% the last couple years is generally better than Gannon's ever was, but Gannon managed a few years in a row of a <2 int% which Fitz isn't really close to. Fitzpatrick's last two seasons have been the best of his career, though, and Gannon didn't string those seasons together until he was 36-38 years old - so there's definitely hope. Really have to hope that Fitz's arm gets stronger rather than deteriorates, and that he learns to slide at appropriate times. His arm strength and proneness to injury are his biggest drawbacks.

Also, Devin Smith has to develop, Jace Amaro has to make it back, and the Jets have to continue to provide him with new weapons (a fast, elusive receiving back would be nice). 

He's had a couple good games in a row. The rest of the season is money. Jets are currently in charge of their own playoff destiny. Fitz has never been to the playoffs. Let's see how he performs here. 

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Jim Plunkett is another one.

 

 

True. Plunkett and Gannon were both drafted by the Pats, and had their best years later on with the Raiders.

I still think Gannon is the guy Fitz's career most closely resembles. Both came from non-football powerhouse colleges, and both bounced around the league quite a bit before landing with the right team.

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That's your best case scenario. Fitz isn't the physical specimen Vinny or Jim Plunkett were. He's got to do it with brains and balls. At his best, Gannon managed a 3:1 TD:int ratio, Fitz is at 2:1 the last two years. To his credit, Fitz's TD% the last couple years is generally better than Gannon's ever was, but Gannon managed a few years in a row of a <2 int% which Fitz isn't really close to. Fitzpatrick's last two seasons have been the best of his career, though, and Gannon didn't string those seasons together until he was 36-38 years old - so there's definitely hope. Really have to hope that Fitz's arm gets stronger rather than deteriorates, and that he learns to slide at appropriate times. His arm strength and proneness to injury are his biggest drawbacks.

Also, Devin Smith has to develop, Jace Amaro has to make it back, and the Jets have to continue to provide him with new weapons (a fast, elusive receiving back would be nice). 

He's had a couple good games in a row. The rest of the season is money. Jets are currently in charge of their own playoff destiny. Fitz has never been to the playoffs. Let's see how he performs here. 

I don't think his arm strength nearly as big an issue as people have made it out to be. He isn't Brett Favre by any means, but also isn't Chad Pennington.  And I think he's made some tough throws at times this year.

To me, his biggest issue is deep ball accuracy. But that isn't because of his arm.  He gets the ball there, he just isn't getting it to a spot where his receiver can catch it.

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I don't think his arm strength nearly as big an issue as people have made it out to be. He isn't Brett Favre by any means, but also isn't Chad Pennington.  And I think he's made some tough throws at times this year.

To me, his biggest issue is deep ball accuracy. But that isn't because of his arm.  He gets the ball there, he just isn't getting it to a spot where his receiver can catch it.

Absolutely.  His longer throws seem to "sail" on him.    To the point..I d rather he not throw many over 15-20 yards but with Penny, defenses figured him out and stuffed the box.

Im equally concerned with his slow starts....  I was pretty down for most of the GIANTS game.  we did not look very dynamic early on.  

 

BUT...we are better than anyone anticipated, so CHEERS!

 

 

 

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Maybe Trent Green.  Main difference is that guy sat behind Stan Humprheys and never saw the field while Fitzpatrick was getting spot starts and run with the Rams and Bengals. By the time Green saw any playing time he was in his late 20's and he was 33 by the time he had his first winning season, going 13-3.  He was a pro-bowler 2 our of 3 years.  IIRC he followed Jeff George out of Indiana. Not the kind of guy we are dying to have, but not a must replace ASAP player either.

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Absolutely.  His longer throws seem to "sail" on him.    To the point..I d rather he not throw many over 15-20 yards but with Penny, defenses figured him out and stuffed the box.

Im equally concerned with his slow starts....  I was pretty down for most of the GIANTS game.  we did not look very dynamic early on.  

 

BUT...we are better than anyone anticipated, so CHEERS!

 

 

 

The pass protection early on in the Giants game was terrible. The Giants were blitzing quite a bit, and it took a while before Gailey adjusted to it.  

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 Every so often, the Fitzpatrick family — mom, dad, and their five young kids — makes the short drive from their house in Chatham to downtown Madison.

They'll stop by Nicky's Firehouse for pizza, or pop into McCool's for ice cream. The Fitzpatricks, recent arrivals in northern New Jersey who don't know how long they'll stay here, do their best to make this place feel like home.

They're used to this — the familiarity of newness — because they've bounced around the country for dad's job.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Jets' quarterback, is on his fourth team in four seasons. First came his last of four years in Buffalo, 2012. Then he went from Tennessee to Houston, which traded him to the Jets for the final year of his contract in 2015. 

So what's next ?

Will the Fitzpatricks need to find a new pizza joint, a new ice cream shop in 2016? 

Fitzpatrick has played well enough, thriving lately, that even though he's 33, it seems entirely possible the Jets could re-sign him after this year and welcome him back for his 12th NFL season. He believes he is peaking now, with his sixth team. The Jets are 7-5, and in the hunt to give Fitzpatrick his first playoff appearance. "I've really enjoyed this year, the guys in the locker room, getting back with Chan," Fitzpatrick told NJ Advance Media, referring to Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, his head coach in Buffalo from 2010-12. "It's been a great opportunity for me. It's been a very refreshing year, just in terms of the guys I've been able to play with and hang out with on a daily basis. So I love it here." 

Fitzpatrick wouldn't say definitively if he wants to return to the Jets next season. Gailey's presence in the organization presumably could help entice Fitzpatrick to stick around. But with the way he's played recently, he could enjoy the contract bargaining leverage of at least a few other offseason suitors. Fitzpatrick has 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season, including six touchdowns and no picks in the past two games, both wins. His career high for touchdown passes in a season is 24. His current quarterback rating is 88.1, which stands as the second-best of his career, behind 95.3 last year in Houston. Since then-teammate IK Enemkpali's punch broke quarterback Geno Smith's jaw in the locker room during training camp, and Fitzpatrick immediately rose from backup to starter, the bearded veteran has commanded respect from the Jets.Fitzpatrick might never have started this season if not for Enemkpali's punch. But when Fitzpatrick got the starting job, he never let go of it. Now, you regularly see players walking around the locker room wearing "Fitz Magic" T-shirts. 

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Despite his overall steadiness this year, and recent uptick, Fitzpatrick balances his happiness about his performance with the awareness that things could change quickly in the final four regular season games. "Last year, I felt like I maybe had my best year," he said. "I just feel like I'm a much better quarterback now than I've ever been. These four games, they mean so much, just in terms of I'm going to look back on this season, whether it was a success or not. I guess that's yet to be determined.

"I wouldn't be still standing here if I didn't have a lot of belief in myself, because there's not a whole lot of belief in me in the outside world. To me, it's always been believing in myself. I know what type of player I am. I know what I'm good at, and what I'm not good at." Ever since the Rams drafted Fitzpatrick in the seventh round out of Harvard in 2005, he's learned that planning for — or counting on — anything in the NFL is foolish. So he speaks cautiously about what next season might bring."It's hard to think too far ahead," he said. "You can't put too much thought into the what-ifs, because you'll end up going crazy." The life of a journeyman NFL quarterback taught his entire family to enjoy the present, and not worry about what's next. Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza Barber, have have a full house, with kids ages 8, 6, 4, 2, and seven months. Their 8-year-old son, Brady, is in the third grade. He is in his fifth elementary school. 

"It's not easy, but it's all my kids know," Fitzpatrick said of the frequent moves. "We're sort of used to it at this point."

The Fitzpatricks own an offseason home in Arizona, where Ryan grew up, but they spend minimal time there, because of the kids' school schedules. The concept of a definitive home doesn't exist for them right now. "It's hard to even say," Fitzpatrick said. "We try to make [a new place] feel as homey as possible, as quickly as possible. We've kind of been nomads, so [home] is something that doesn't exist in our life right now. Nomads is our normal, I guess." Still, they've settled in just fine around here. Fitzpatrick, man of simple pleasures, loves being near lots of Dunkin' Donuts, since they are sparse outside of the Northeast. The kids got a kick out of romping around the American Museum of Natural History and the Lego Store. Fitzpatrick and his wife laughed wildly while seeing "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway. Plus, a bunch of their old friends from Harvard, where they met, live in New York City or northern New Jersey. 

Despite all that's new about this experience for Fitzpatrick and his family, part of coming to the Jets did feel like home, because of Gailey and his offense. While others doubted Fitzpatrick, he said Gailey always believed he could thrive in the NFL. Gailey, 63, was out of football for two seasons, since the Bills fired him, before he accepted coach Todd Bowles' offer to coordinate the Jets' offense. "He means a lot to me personally and professionally, just in terms of the things that we've been through," Fitzpatrick said of Gailey. "He's just been a guy that has always stood by my side, and I've tried to do my best for him at all times." And there they were, the quarterback and his coordinator, reunited and rejuvenated, celebrating after Sunday's 23-20 overtime win at the Giants. The thrilling comeback victory put Fitzpatrick one step closer to another new experience — the playoffs. 

"Those are just cool moments that mean a little bit more, probably, just because of our history together," Fitzpatrick said. 

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/ryan_fitzpatrick_jets_chan_gailey.html#incart_river_index

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-- A look at the New York Jets players who were “up” and those who were “down” in Sunday's dominating 30-8 victory over the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium :

UP

~ ~ Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback: He's on a three-game hot streak the likes of which few Jets quarterbacks have experienced. Fitzpatrick passed for 263 yards and three touchdowns, giving him nine touchdowns and no interceptions during the current three-game winning streak. He got a lot of help from his friends on two scoring plays, as Brandon Marshall (69 yards) and Bilal Powell (16) did the heavy lifting with serious yards after the catch. Speaking of running, Fitzpatrick made one of the biggest plays with a 19-yard scramble on the opening possession -- a 14-play, 80-yard drive that set the tone. It was only the second opening-drive touchdown for the Jets.

rest of above article  :

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57047/mo-wilkerson-up-calvin-pryor-down-in-jets-win

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— This was an actual headline published on this website just three weeks ago: "Jets' Todd Bowles won't rule out benching Ryan Fitzpatrick for Geno Smith."

That was just after the Jets lost to the Texans, their fourth defeat in five games, the second-straight game in which Fitzpatrick posted a quarterback rating lower than 60. Head coach Todd Bowles, for the first time all year, sounded like he was wavering on Fitzpatrick as the Jets' quarterback, even though it seemed difficult to believe Bowles might actually make a change.

Since then  ?

Fitzpatrick has done nothing but complete 79 of 123 passes (64.2 percent) for 930 yards, nine touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He's posted three of his four highest-rated games as a Jets quarterback.

"Wow, I didn't even know that," wideout Brandon Marshall said.

The Jets smacked the Titans, 30-8, on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. They have won three straight. They're now 8-5, and they're making a strong push toward their first playoff appearance in five years.For the season, Fitzpatrick has now completed 60 percent of his passes, with 25 touchdowns (a career-high) and just 11 interceptions. His Total QBR (68.2) ranks seventh in the league among qualified passers.

"He's made some really good decisions these last three games," wideout Eric Decker said of Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick, 33, is in his 11th season, with his sixth team, and his fourth team in as many seasons. He's never played in the playoffs. He was brought to the Jets via trade to back up Geno Smith. He only got a chance to start because Smith had his jaw broken by a locker-room punch.But it's now December, and the Jets are playing some of their best football. Fitzpatrick won't openly muse about playoff possibilities, however, preferring (publicly, at least) to stick to his one-game-at-a-time-isms.

"I think we've done a good job the last three weeks as a team kind of coming up in big-time situations and playing off of each other," Fitzpatrick said.

Oh, right: Fitzpatrick's contract is up after the season. This week, he told NJ Advance Media's Darryl Slater he loved playing for the Jets, but he stopped short of saying whether he wanted to come back, no doubt because he wants to maximize his bargaining position.But given that the Jets are not picking at the top of the draft, and the dearth of quality potential free agents out there, the Jets would be nuts not to at least try to re-sign Fitzpatrick before he can hit free agency.

Fitzpatrick's limitations were on display early in the season, even as the Jets got off to a 4-1 start. But he has taken command of the offense of late, even as he continues to lean heavily on his 1-2 receiving tandem of Marshall (six catches, 125 yards, one touchdown Sunday) and Decker (seven catches, 74 yards, one touchdown).The Jets don't force Fitzpatrick to throw deep. Instead, coordinator Chan Gailey has tailored the offense to Fitzpatrick's quick-read strength by using the spread—it's not uncommon to see running backs Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell out wide—and by incorporating more screens of late.

The Jets came in with the league's best red-zone offense. They went 2-for-3 inside the red zone on Sunday. Fitzpatrick now has 19 touchdowns and zero interceptions in that situation.

"It's not anything that's flashy," Decker said. "He just makes the right reads and does the right thing."Said Bowles: "I just think the guys are starting to gel with everyone. Not just Marshall and Fitz, but the offensive line, the tight ends, the receivers."

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/ryan_fitzpatrick_is_on_fire_right_now_for_jets.html#incart_river_index

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Sometimes the smaller moves end up being the best ones. The offseason trade for Ryan Fitzpatrick was seen as minor, at best. But he has gone from insurance policy to savior, backup to starter, steadying veteran presence to the key figure on a potential playoff team.

IK Enemkpali’s training-camp sucker punch shattered Geno Smith’s jaw, and it may have set up Fitzpatrick’s career season, the best year by a Jets quarterback since Vinny Testaverde’s magical 1998 campaign.“The guy just works hard and he’s had an interesting career,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said after the Jets manhandled the Titans, 30-8, winning their third straight game to improve to 8-5 and remain firmly in the mix in the AFC wild-card race. “He deserves it. We just want to continue to rally around him and let him lead us.”

Fitzpatrick wasn’t a former No. 1 overall pick like Testaverde, doesn’t possess his physical tools, but he’s having a season similar to the pride of Elmont, N.Y. He’s four touchdown passes away from tying Testaverde’s franchise record for most in a season with 29 after throwing three more on Sunday, when he completed 21-of-36 passes for 263 yards in addition to 23 more rushing yards.The third touchdown was an example of Fitzpatrick’s experience paying off. With the Jets leading 20-0 late in the first half, he spotted Marshall without a defensive back attached to him. Quickly, Fitzpatrick motioned for center Nick Mangold to snap the ball, got it out quickly to Marshall, who took it 69 yards to pay dirt.

The Harvard grad didn’t rush and he didn’t take too much time. It worked out perfectly.“I think it takes all three, the fact Brandon was ready for it and knew exactly what to do, Fitz being able to orchestrate it all, and us not messing up front,” Mangold said.

Teammates have raved about Fitzpatrick’s consistency and confidence, the even demeanor he brings whether he’s having the game of his life or just threw a pick-six. They love his toughness and mobility, his determination, the fact he played with a torn ligaments in his left thumb. He’s gotten better of late, nine touchdowns over the last three weeks.“He just gets the job done,” wide receiver Eric Decker said. “He’s made some really good decisions these last three games. It’s not anything that’s flashy. He just makes the right reads and does the right thing.”

On his sixth team in his 10th year in the league at the age of 33, Fitzpatrick is closing in on his first playoff berth as a starter. He has a career-high 25 touchdowns, compared to just 11 interceptions. In his three best seasons, all with the Bills from 2010-12, he threw 23, 24 and 24 touchdown passes, but also 15, 23, and 16 picks. His most recent interception came before this three-game winning streak began.

“It just shows you, don’t quit on your dream,” Mangold said. “You keep going at it, and hopefully good will come out of it.”

>     http://nypost.com/2015/12/13/fitzpatrick-from-afterthought-to-one-of-jets-best-qb-years-ever/

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He'll get a two year deal or something at a hefty raise.  I am okay with this as long as the search in earnest continues to get great young QB.  Geno is a goner imo regardless of having a year left on his rookie deal.  Petty, just no idea how the guy is progressing, you see these guys in camp and that is it.  Please do not stop looking Mac, never stop looking.

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How does a guy destined for Wall Street wind up here? How does an economics major from a place that has produced U.S. presidents, foreign heads of state and Nobel laureates find himself doing this? How does it last so long?

How has Ryan Fitzpatrick done it ?

The cookie-cutter storyline was supposed to be a footnote in his life: Scrappy rookie seventh-round Ivy Leaguer cut after No. 3 quarterback training camp battle.

Thanks for the memories, NFL. Time to find a real job.

Somehow, the story has stretched 11 years through six cities. Rejection has been the soundtrack for as long as he can remember. Stanford, Arizona State and Notre Dame passed on him long before NFL journeyman became a part of his permanent record.Fitzpatrick has never been able to take a hint. He’s been cut or traded five times in the past nine years because teams held on to the promise of something he could never be: The next big thing. There was always someone younger with more potential on the horizon.

Fitzpatrick has been the eternal placeholder, the rebound in every team-quarterback relationship, the guy you forget about five years from now.“That’s been my whole career: I’ve been the afterthought,” Fitzpatrick told the Daily News in a quiet moment. “I’ve gotten used to it. It’s kind of what everybody thinks. I like playing the role of the underdog. That’s fine with me. I just want to go out there and win. That’s it.”Fitzpatrick was supposed to blend into the background this season too. The Jets traded a conditional seventh-round pick to the Texans this offseason to get veteran insurance for Geno Smith. There was no quarterback competition. Fitzpatrick’s role was clearly defined: Hang out and be there... just in case.

Smith’s locker-room fight with IK Enemkpali on Aug. 11 changed everything and set in motion a career resurgence for Fitzpatrick.The guy not good enough to build around has given hope to a star-crossed franchise. The Jets might still be searching for a long-term solution at quarterback, but Todd Bowles told the News that he wants to re-sign Fitzpatrick for at least one more season.

“Definitely,” the head coach said when asked whether he wants Fitzpatrick back next year.

The veteran signal caller is in the final year of a two-year deal that he signed with the Texans.“We got to work (it out) after the season,” Bowles said of the impending free agent.

How is Bowles so sure that Fitzpatrick should be back with the Jets in 2016?“You can see it in his play,” Bowles said. “You can see it in his demeanor, his professionalism. Every day, the way he approaches his job. So, it’s somebody you definitely want around.”Fitzpatrick has found a calm and peace unlike at any other time in his career. “It’s interesting the way that all the stars have aligned,” the quarterback said.He’s smarter on Sundays too. His career highlight prior to this season came playing for Chan Gailey in Buffalo. Fitzpatrick averaged an interception every 28 attempts during those three gun-slinging years with Gailey. He’s averaging an interception every 37 attempts in his second go-round with the play-caller.

“In Buffalo, he was trying to make every play,” Bowles said of Fitzpatrick. “He was trying to be ‘the guy’ to make every play.”His mindset has changed. He’s no longer Maverick. He’s not buzzing the tower with unauthorized fly-bys anymore.

Now, Fitzpatrick is just another 33-year-old Harvard graduate leading a billion-dollar organization.“There’s so much about quarterback that’s the mental side,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s about experience. It’s about being able to think through the game."I don’t know how long I’m going to play, but I feel that I’m better now than I’ve been at any point in my career. I feel that I’m better now than I have been in terms of football IQ, the way I’m seeing the game and the way I’m throwing the ball. I would love to continue to build off that.”

“I love playing for Coach Bowles,” he added. “I love being on this team.”Few things in life actually upset Fitzpatrick. His kids’ penchant for bending playing cards during Skip-Bo is one of them. Questioning his ability to excel on the field just because he’s 33 is another (even though he’s too nice to admit it).Perception likely won’t change even if he helps the 7-5 Jets, who host the Titans on Sunday, break a four-year playoff drought. Stereotypes don’t magically disappear. He’s destined to be “the other guy.”

“I think that’s definitely the perception whether it’s around the league or public perception,” Fitzpatrick said. “But it doesn’t really matter to me.”

Fitzpatrick is a terrible liar. It must bother him on some level, because it should bother him. He’s on pace to tie Vinny Testaverde’s franchise record for touchdown passes in a season (29). He’s developed invaluable chemistry with Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, who are having the best combined statistical seasons of any wide receiver tandem in franchise history. Fitzpatrick has infused the locker room with “confidence, energy and fun,” according to Decker.“He does a great job of managing,” Marshall told The News. “He’s in a leadership position. Some quarterbacks want it. Some don’t. Regardless, that position is a CEO. You have to be able to lead up to the board and you have to be able to lead down to the guys on the floor. ... He does a great job of managing all of our egos and personalities.”

Being well-traveled also has its privileges. Fitzpatrick’s past experiences in ever-changing environments have helped him adjust quickly to the Jets personnel. It’s been one of the critical reasons for his success.“Moving around so much you get used to different types of players,” Fitzpatrick said. “Big, little, fast, slow. So that’s something that I think is one of my best traits. I’ve got a lot of experience with a lot of different types of players.”

Fitzpatrick’s toughness is the primary reason why he’s universally respected in the locker room. He missed only one practice after undergoing surgery to repair a torn thumb ligament last month. The thought of losing his job due to injury was “maybe in the back of my mind, yeah, who knows,” but the driving force to accelerate his return was simply to help the team win.“If pain is the only thing that is going to maybe keep me off the field,” Fitzpatrick said about fast-tracking his return after going under the knife, “Then there’s no way I’m going to be off the field, because it’s not a big deal.”

Fitzpatrick’s post-op numbers have been better. He has 11 touchdowns, four interceptions and three 100-plus passer ratings in the five games since the surgery. He has six touchdowns and no picks in the past two weeks, prompting the question: Where would the Jets be without him this season?“I don’t know if Geno would have taken us here,” Bowles said. “I don’t know if he wouldn’t have taken us here. It’s hard to say and do the what-ifs at the quarterback spot… but I don’t want to even think about that.”

Nobody does. There’s an unspoken understanding around this place, a belief that sometimes the answer is right in front of you no matter how tempted you are to look past it.

Ryan Fitzpatrick saved their season. 

>    http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-bowles-ryan-fitzpatrick-back-jets-2016-article-1.2463907

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ESPN Staff Writer 

Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his three-touchdown performance against the Titans. The Jets have gone back-to-back. WR Brandon Marshall got the award last week. A year ago, the Jets had trouble scoring touchdowns, let alone winning awards.

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

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ESPN Staff Writer 

Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his three-touchdown performance against the Titans. The Jets have gone back-to-back. WR Brandon Marshall got the award last week. A year ago, the Jets had trouble scoring touchdowns, let alone winning awards.

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

The Jets have to do what it takes to re-sign him, even if it means overpaying him a little. We've seen how long it can take to find even competent QB play in this league. There are so many bad QB's out there.

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— Ryan Fitzpatrick, after 10 seasons with five other franchises, finally has a chance to get an NFL team to the playoffs. He's exceeded every expectation this season as the Jets' quarterback.But as a potential free agent this offseason, does he want to be back at One Jets Drive in 2016?

Last week, Fitzpatrick told NJ Advance Media, "I love it here," but was coy on the subject of returning. After practice Tuesday, he came right out with it.

"Yeah, I'd love to be back," Fitzpatrick said.

At this point, the Jets would be crazy not to want him, too.

Fitzpatrick has completed 60 percent of his passes, thrown for 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and has a passer rating of 89.8. His Total QBR is 68.2, which ranks seventh among qualified starters.Fitzpatrick has also been on fire the last three games, all Jets victories. And in the red zone, he has 19 touchdown passes and zero interceptions.

Also: The Jets are 8-5 and smack-dab in the thick of the AFC playoff chase. As things now stand, they'd be the No. 6 seed.The feeling is mutual from head coach Todd Bowles. He recently told the New York Daily News he'd like to have Fitzpatrick back.Fitzpatrick is making $3.25 million this season on a deal he signed with the Texans, who traded him to the Jets in March.

"He's playing well," Bowles said Tuesday. "Honestly, you deal with all the things after the season. You like the person, you like the player."

>    http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/ryan_fitzpatrick_would_love_to_be_back_with_jets_n.html#incart_river_index

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A few months ago, the Jets didn't think Ryan Fitzpatrick was good enough to start over Geno Smith. One punch (From IK Enemkpali to Geno's jaw) and eight wins later, they appear to be sold that Fitzpatrick is good enough to keep around.

Head coach Todd Bowles has publicly stated that he wants Fitzpatrick back in green next season, and based on his comments to the New York Post on Tuesday, it seems like he believes that Fitzpatrick has turned some sort of corner in his career.“He's had success in this league -- maybe not this consistent, but he's had success -- and he's at peace with himself,” Bowles said. “I think he's doing things a lot better. I think he's a lot calmer. I think he's not trying to win games by himself, mainly. Obviously, he has talent around him to do some of those things, but most quarterbacks do."

Fitzpatrick is 33 years old and now in his 11th season, but that doesn't seem to bother Bowles. “Guys find homes at different places at different times in their career, and now is his time,” he said.

As for Fitzpatrick's feelings on sticking with the Jets? “I'd love to be back,” he said.

Look... just three weeks ago, Fitzpatrick was in a place where he felt he needed to publicly advocate for himself to keep his starting job. But now that he's thrown for 930 yards and 9 touchdowns against the 31st, 25th, and 21st-ranked passing defenses over the last three games, the two sides think it's wise to arrange a longer-term marriage? That seems hasty.

Fitzpatrick is a journeyman who has had the likes of the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, and Texans come to the realization that he's not the quarterback for them. Four of those five teams came to that conclusion within two years. Only the Bills stuck with Fitz longer than that.Why have those teams all reached the same conclusion? Well, because Fitzpatrick's stretches of good play have never lasted all that long (note Bowles alluding to his inconsistent successes), and over larger samples, he's been a clearly below-average quarterback.

Fitzpatrick has thrown at least 200 passes and made at least eight starts in every season since 2008. In that time, his teams have gone 41-57-1 in his starts as he has completed 60.32 percent of his passes for 6.71 yards per attempt. Over that same span, he's been intercepted on 3.23 percent of his pass attempts and recorded a quarterback rating of 81.8. Every single one of those figures (winning percentage, completion percentage, yards per attempt, interception percentage, and QB rating) ranks dead last among the 14 quarterbacks that have thrown at least 3,000 passes since 2008, per Pro-Football-Reference.Yes, his 2015 numbers look better than that. But until this recent three-game stretch, Fitzpatrick had completed 58.39 percent of his passes for 6.83 yards per attempt, been intercepted on 3.41 percent of his passes and had a QB rating of 81.5 through 10 games. In other words, he had been Ryan Fitzpatrick. But hey, he's succeeded against a few bad pass defenses over the last three weeks.

The Jets are 8-5 and have a decent shot at making the playoffs. For a team that had a poor enough record to pick sixth in the draft last season, that's great progress. They should be proud. But it's important to note that they've done this against the NFL's fourth-easiest schedule (per Pro-Football-Reference's Simple Rating System) this season -- one in which the AFC East has luckily been pitted against the dregs of the AFC South and NFC East. Given the track record of both team and player, it seems likely they'll both regress a bit against a tougher slate next year. Fitzpatrick works fine as a stopgap, but as many teams before the Jets have discovered, it's unwise to count on him as any more than that.

>       http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25415882/ryan-fitzpatrick-and-the-jets-want-to-commit-to-each-other-long-term?FTAG=YHF7e3228e

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A few months ago, the Jets didn't think Ryan Fitzpatrick was good enough to start over Geno Smith. One punch (From IK Enemkpali to Geno's jaw) and eight wins later, they appear to be sold that Fitzpatrick is good enough to keep around.

Head coach Todd Bowles has publicly stated that he wants Fitzpatrick back in green next season, and based on his comments to the New York Post on Tuesday, it seems like he believes that Fitzpatrick has turned some sort of corner in his career.“He's had success in this league -- maybe not this consistent, but he's had success -- and he's at peace with himself,” Bowles said. “I think he's doing things a lot better. I think he's a lot calmer. I think he's not trying to win games by himself, mainly. Obviously, he has talent around him to do some of those things, but most quarterbacks do."

Fitzpatrick is 33 years old and now in his 11th season, but that doesn't seem to bother Bowles. “Guys find homes at different places at different times in their career, and now is his time,” he said.

As for Fitzpatrick's feelings on sticking with the Jets? “I'd love to be back,” he said.

Look... just three weeks ago, Fitzpatrick was in a place where he felt he needed to publicly advocate for himself to keep his starting job. But now that he's thrown for 930 yards and 9 touchdowns against the 31st, 25th, and 21st-ranked passing defenses over the last three games, the two sides think it's wise to arrange a longer-term marriage? That seems hasty.

Fitzpatrick is a journeyman who has had the likes of the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, and Texans come to the realization that he's not the quarterback for them. Four of those five teams came to that conclusion within two years. Only the Bills stuck with Fitz longer than that.Why have those teams all reached the same conclusion? Well, because Fitzpatrick's stretches of good play have never lasted all that long (note Bowles alluding to his inconsistent successes), and over larger samples, he's been a clearly below-average quarterback.

Fitzpatrick has thrown at least 200 passes and made at least eight starts in every season since 2008. In that time, his teams have gone 41-57-1 in his starts as he has completed 60.32 percent of his passes for 6.71 yards per attempt. Over that same span, he's been intercepted on 3.23 percent of his pass attempts and recorded a quarterback rating of 81.8. Every single one of those figures (winning percentage, completion percentage, yards per attempt, interception percentage, and QB rating) ranks dead last among the 14 quarterbacks that have thrown at least 3,000 passes since 2008, per Pro-Football-Reference.Yes, his 2015 numbers look better than that. But until this recent three-game stretch, Fitzpatrick had completed 58.39 percent of his passes for 6.83 yards per attempt, been intercepted on 3.41 percent of his passes and had a QB rating of 81.5 through 10 games. In other words, he had been Ryan Fitzpatrick. But hey, he's succeeded against a few bad pass defenses over the last three weeks.

The Jets are 8-5 and have a decent shot at making the playoffs. For a team that had a poor enough record to pick sixth in the draft last season, that's great progress. They should be proud. But it's important to note that they've done this against the NFL's fourth-easiest schedule (per Pro-Football-Reference's Simple Rating System) this season -- one in which the AFC East has luckily been pitted against the dregs of the AFC South and NFC East. Given the track record of both team and player, it seems likely they'll both regress a bit against a tougher slate next year. Fitzpatrick works fine as a stopgap, but as many teams before the Jets have discovered, it's unwise to count on him as any more than that.

>       http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25415882/ryan-fitzpatrick-and-the-jets-want-to-commit-to-each-other-long-term?FTAG=YHF7e3228e

People who find themselves in love with Fitzpatrick really need to re-read the second to last paragraph above a couple times. He's well worthy of like. I'd like to see him come back next year. He's a decent guy to have as a fall-back option at QB. He's not worthy of love. He's not a revelation or a conquering hero. He's a solid stop-gap/back-up. No one's swooping in to give this guy $10M/year, and he's not going to be looking to go anywhere else. 

He's had three great weeks against three bad defenses. Let's take a collective breath and see how he finishes the season. 

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People who find themselves in love with Fitzpatrick really need to re-read the second to last paragraph above a couple times. He's well worthy of like. I'd like to see him come back next year. He's a decent guy to have as a fall-back option at QB. He's not worthy of love. He's not a revelation or a conquering hero. He's a solid stop-gap/back-up. No one's swooping in to give this guy $10M/year, and he's not going to be looking to go anywhere else. 

He's had three great weeks against three bad defenses. Let's take a collective breath and see how he finishes the season. 

Hes solid.  A 4-6 mil player moving forward, with a way to dump out of year two kind of guy.  He's done well, better than most thought he would do but has lots of limitations and isn't in his 20's.  We need a longer term answer.  

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Ryan Fitzpatrick, at 33 years old, is having one of his best seasons.

The New York Jets didn't exactly tip the scales in March when they traded for Ryan Fitzpatrick.Fitzpatrick was coming off a quietly solid season with the Texans that ended in an injury, and the Jets were looking for a backup quarterback.The Jets sent a seventh-round draft pick to the Texans in exchange for Fitzpatrick, with the condition that the pick would turn into a sixth-round pick if Fitzpatrick played 70% of the snaps for the Jets this season.

Fitzpatrick has reportedly hit that mark, meaning the Texans will get a sixth-round pick. Although that ups the price it cost to get Fitzpatrick, nine months after that trade, it's clear the Jets got the better end of the deal.Geno Smith was supposed to be the starter, set to have a breakout year, and he was reportedly having a solid training camp. Head coach Todd Bowles said the Jets were committed to helping Smith succeed, and NJ.com's Darryl Slater said during training camp that it would be a "stunner" if Fitzpatrick replaced Smith as the starter.However, during training camp former Jet IK Enemkpali broke Smith's jaw over a $600 airplane ticket. With Smith needing several weeks to recover, the Jets were forced to hand Fitzpatrick the reins 

Fitzpatrick's time with the Jets hasn't been entirely positive, but at 8-5, the team is having its best season in five years, right in the thick of the playoff race. Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick is having, arguably, the best season of his career. Though his completion rate is down and he seems unlikely to beat his career-high of 3,832 passing yards, Fitzpatrick has a career-high touchdown rate, a career-high average in yards per game, and career-low interception and sack rates.Fitzpatrick's play has elevated at the right time, too, as the Jets fight for the playoffs. During the Jets' current three-game win streak, Fitzpatrick has completed 63% of his passes, thrown nine touchdowns with no interceptions, and has an average passer rating of 111.9.

With Fitzpatrick set to hit free agency this offseason, he and the Jets have agreed they would like a reunion next season. Jets head coach Todd Bowles raved about Fitzpatrick, saying:

"I think he’s doing things a lot better. I think he’s a lot calmer. I think he’s not trying to win games by himself, mainly. Obviously, he has talent around him to do some of those things, but most quarterbacks do. He’s very intelligent. He can make you feel at home and he’s a funny guy. He can make you feel like you want to play hard for him. He just has that personality that everybody gravitates towards."

As Bowles mentions, Fitzpatrick has a bevy of weapons around him. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker are both talented, athletic receivers, Chris Ivory has emerged as a top running back, and the offensive line ranks fourth in Football Outsiders' pass protection. Additionally, Fitzpatrick has a sturdy defense to rely upon, allowing the Jets to play conservatively, knowing their defense can carry an equal amount of weight. Fitzpatrick hasn't been perfect, and it's fair to wonder how good the Jets could be with a better quarterback, but he's proven a solid, steady fit.

In comparison, while there is always talent deep in the draft — Tom Brady was a sixth-rounder, Fitzpatrick was a seventh-rounder, for instance — the Jets are probably fine with the price they paid for Fitzpatrick.

The Jets unexpectedly got their starting quarterback, and while a draft pick can turn into anything, it's proven to be a worthwhile gamble for a success-starved team.

>      http://finance.yahoo.com/news/jets-traded-backup-quarterback-9-203325743.html

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Hes solid.  A 4-6 mil player moving forward, with a way to dump out of year two kind of guy.  He's done well, better than most thought he would do but has lots of limitations and isn't in his 20's.  We need a longer term answer.  

we can get one in the draft.  Do that and resign Fitz to a 2 year deal at reasonable money.

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He's well worthy of like. I'd like to see him come back next year. He's a decent guy to have as a fall-back option at QB. He's not worthy of love. He's not a revelation or a conquering hero. He's a solid stop-gap/back-up. No one's swooping in to give this guy $10M/year, and he's not going to be looking to go anywhere else. 

He's had three great weeks against three bad defenses. Let's take a collective breath and see how he finishes the season. 

QB play, miraculously, has not been a weak spot for the Jets this year.

If the Jets had high performing special teams it would be reflected in our W-L record and we'd all be legitimately talking Superbowl and not saying "if only we had a QB".

Haven't you noticed that this site is not full of comments like "if only we had a QB for the last three weeks of the season..."? No one says that - so whether it's being acknowledged/realized or not, Fitz has earned considerable "love".

To be frank, I find it a little weird to see a moderator of a Jets forum looking to deny the undeniable success of a Jets starting QB - when we've just been through literally years of frustration at the position. 

 

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Absolutely.  His longer throws seem to "sail" on him.    To the point..I d rather he not throw many over 15-20 yards but with Penny, defenses figured him out and stuffed the box.

Im equally concerned with his slow starts....  I was pretty down for most of the GIANTS game.  we did not look very dynamic early on.  

 

BUT...we are better than anyone anticipated, so CHEERS!

 

 

 

that's partially because defenses get tired and DB's start losing their legs towards the end of games.  We won time of possession by controlling the ball almost 10 minutes more

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two more years of Fitz is ludicrous unless the goal is to be mediocre...I have stated I am all in for him this year but to think he is a foundational player is completely delusional. He is a complete JAG that had success because of Marshall and Gailey, and the Jets MUST have a different starter next year. He has to essentially play perfect to win, which he has done the last couple of weeKS but to think he sustains that is just accepting mediocrity

He's not a HOF QB.

Where are you going to get someone who is much better than what he is doing right now?  You want to dump Fitz, fine.  Where is his replacement?

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QB play, miraculously, has not been a weak spot for the Jets this year.

If the Jets had high performing special teams it would be reflected in our W-L record and we'd all be legitimately talking Superbowl and not saying "if only we had a QB".

Haven't you noticed that this site is not full of comments like "if only we had a QB for the last three weeks of the season..."? No one says that - so whether it's being acknowledged/realized or not, Fitz has earned considerable "love".

To be frank, I find it a little weird to see a moderator of a Jets forum looking to deny the undeniable success of a Jets starting QB - when we've just been through literally years of frustration at the position. 

 

Sorry to disappoint you as a moderator. 

I like the guy, but I need to see a lot more before I start talking about him being the starter for another year or two. People are a little giddy from a great three game stretch against weak competition. Let's see how he finishes the season, particularly against two division rivals he's already lost to, before handing him the reins next year. That's all I'm saying. I want him back, definitely, but maybe as a back-up/stop-gap rather than the solution. 

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petty didn't show much at all in preseason.  Not saying he's a bust no one knows what he is but he is not the starting qb next season

exactly, to me he's still a huge unknown.  He could be Brady or Nagle.  I would go the Ron Wolf plan, draft a QB every year.  Especially since we don't have a long term QB and if we wind up with more than one you trade.  Worked to perfection in GB

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People are talking about Petty being a viable starter, but we don't even know if he is a viable backup.  When Geno went down they brought in Flynn and Johnson in case Fitzpatrick couldn't go.  When Fitzpatrick went down they went right to Geno.  I like the idea of developing Petty, but let's not act like we have any clue what he will be.  They may not even be willing to go with him as their #2.

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Play Petty, would be my first thought.

I hope he really works out.  I hope 15 years from now we are talking about the steal of the new century in the draft.

But I don't want to hand the team over to someone who has never done anything, and Fitz is playing pretty well.

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That's all I'm saying. I want him back, definitely, but maybe as a back-up/stop-gap rather than the solution. 

Because Fitz was not a solution this season? Again, if we had competency at special teams the post season would be a given, we'd likely have (even) more confidence, and we'd be debating Jets shot at a Superbowl appearance.

And right now no one, not even the ardent Fitzhaters, are saying: "Geez - we need to win 3 in a row here. If only we had a quarterback!" 

This is because we have a quarterback. The Jets and their coaches know it. And plenty of Jets fans know it despite the good news not having reached a stubborn minority of the fan base. 

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