The Jets and quarterback Justin Fields turned in another awful offensive performance on Thursday night in a 27-14 loss to the Patriots.
And the former NFL stars who analyze games for Prime TV were wondering what coach Aaron Glenn is accomplishing by refusing to make a quarterback change. They even hinted it might be damaging the future of a team that is focused on building a brighter one.
“You’re not building winning habits by keeping Justin Fields at quarterback and not playing Tyrod Taylor,“ former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman said on the postgame show late Thursday night. ”I don’t get what their logic is, unless they’re not concerned about winning this year.”
Fields finished 15-of-25 for 116 yards and one touchdown and was generally ineffective after a strong first drive gave the Jets a 7-0 lead. It was the fourth time in the last five games that he finished with fewer than 120 yards passing. Ryan Fitzpatrick, the only quarterback to lead the Jets to a winning season since 2010, said Fields’ poor play is hurting the development of everyone on his side of the ball, including first-year offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand.
“I appreciate that Justin Fields every week takes the podium, he stands up there like a man, he doesn’t make excuses,” Fitzpatrick said. “The problem is, we’re just not seeing the performance on the field. Look, he ran the ball well tonight, but four of his starts, he’s thrown for under 60 yards. Right? Tonight he threw for 116 yards. He’s not playing with any confidence. Especially with his arm. Especially in the passing game. So, what does that do? Well ... you’re not making anybody on the team better with him at quarterback right now. because he’s not playing with confidence, he’s not playing with rhythm, he’s not playing on time. It’s hurting the offensive coordinator, it’s hurting the confidence of all those guys, it’s hurting the growth of all those guys.”
So should Glenn be making a change at quarterback before the Jets play the Ravens next weekend?
“Yes, Tyrod Taylor should be in there and play,” Fitzpatrick said. “Because I think what you’re going to see – you’re going to see a quarterback come in and he’s going to play on rhythm, he’s going to play on time, he’s going to execute the game plan that’s put in every week. So at this point, he gives them a better chance, yes."
Former All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez joined in with harsh criticism for the Jets’ offense, hinting that the only good reason Glenn could be playing Fields at quarterback right now is because it would help their draft position after trading away star cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline last week.
“It makes you wonder, OK, why?” Gonzales said of the decision to keep playing Fields. “Because it’s been this way for the last month. And so as you’re looking forward ... you’re tearing down the house and starting from scratch. Does that also say, OK, are you trying to move up and get a better draft choice, OK? And I would never want to say a team is intentionally going out there and losing and trying to tank it. But you’re also saying, ‘This is just what we’ve got and we’ll just let it play. And hopefully he plays well, and if he doesn’t, Oh, well. It doesn’t matter, it’s like – we win no matter what. Even with losing, we’re still going to win because it’s going to help our draft choice.’
“Because right now I don’t understand it. Why wouldn’t you go out there and play Tyrod Taylor?” Gonzalez said. “Because the way he’s playing right now, as an offensive player too, as a receiver? Shoot. If I was on that team, I’d be like, there’s no way. You’re putting me out there with that? It’s not going to happen.”
Sherman said it’s not surprising because this is what the Jets have consistently done under owner Woody Johnson and criticized the trades even though the Jets received solid draft capital in return.
“What’s the common thread? It’s always been dysfunction with this ownership group,” Sherman said. “And you look at it, Aaron Glenn just got here and you trade away the two all-pros that you have. You say, ‘Hey we’re going to trade them away and we’re going to expect us to get better?’ Nobody cares about these draft picks because those are potential players. These are established guys that can play in this league and have shown you that. You just never get better trading them away, so I don’t understand what they’re trying to build.”
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