New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn refused to name his starting quarterback in the lead-up to Sunday's home game against the Cleveland Browns, keeping the decision “close to the vest,” even though almost everybody already knew the answer.
Glenn's decision to keep the starter unnamed extended through practice reports and media availability, a tactic the coach described as protecting competitive advantage.
While Tyrod Taylor remained in the mix this week after practicing fully following a knee issue, it was another $40 million quarterback the team was expected to start pending final confirmations.
Then, just hours before kickoff on Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported - to absolutely nobody’s surprise - that Justin Fields had officially been named the team’s starting QB against Cleveland.
Despite some optimism at the beginning of the season that Fields could help stabilize the offense after arriving on a two-year deal in March, his first year in New York has been a bit of a roller coaster.
Through seven starts this season, he's completed 107 of 167 passes (64.1%) for 1,089 yards, five passing touchdowns, and zero interceptions while also adding 53 carries for 288 yards and three rushing TDs.
On the one hand, he’s shown improved ball security relative to earlier in his NFL career, but on the other, he has also shown limited downfield production (a modest 6.5 yards per attempt) and a 38.1 QBR, which is the fourth-worst among all starters.
The Jets (1-7) enter Sunday coming off their first win - a 39-38 shootout against the Cincinnati Bengals - but remain near the bottom of the AFC and the league standings.
The Browns (2-6), meanwhile, arrive at MetLife with some QB controversy of their own as starter Dillon Gabriel has failed to spark the offense, while fans continue to urge Colorado star Shedeur Sanders to get more playing time (he has yet to play in the regular season).
Oddsmakers list Cleveland as a small 2.5-point favorite with a mere 37.5-point over/under, one of the lower totals in Week 10.
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