You can’t blame the Jets for limiting Ryan Fitzpatrick to one series. After this week, they probably are outfitting him with a bullet-proof vest and wrapping him with bubble-wrap.
But in his limited playing time, we did well according to Jets boss Todd Bowles.
“I thought he did well,” the coach said. “He really commanded the offense. He’s cool, calm and collected. There was nothing big to brag about, but he did his job.”
Look, Fitzpatrick is it. He’s all they got and it’s not going to get better anytime soon.
They brought Matt Flynn in for a look today and passed on him because of his physical. Michael Vick and Rex Grossman are also names being bandied about.
Maybe Rex Ryan will waive E.J. Manuel up in Buffalo and the Jets could give their old coach a taste of his own medicine.
But seriously, the Jets have a problem. No matter how well Fitzpatrick plays there will always be the worry that he will get hurt, because that’s what followed the journeyman around his whole career and unless the team gets a credible backup, they may have a tough time this season.
Even Fitzpatrick saw that.
“Whether it’s me or a lot of the other guys that have some mileage on their bodies, health is the No. 1 important thing in the preseason,” he said.
More importantly, it’s what the Jets do in the next few weeks. If they can work out a trade or maybe find someone on the waiver wire, they can feel comfortable with Fitzpatrick as the starter.
After his one series, we saw what the rest had to offer and it wasn’t pretty. It’s early by Bryce Petty is not ready for prime time, although he will be able to learn for the veteran.
“The thing about Ryan is that the guy has seen so many looks that he can help you as far as accelerate, for me, my learning curve,” Petty said to the NY Post, “because he’s been there, he’s done that, he knows what works, and he knows this offense. And then, especially the way that he’s opened up to me has been huge. Any question that I ever gave — for him it might be really dumb, and I know that — so I really appreciate him taking the time to really just take notice of me, and wanting to help me out. That means a lot.”
There’s still almost a full month away. The Jets have time, but at the same time, they have a problem.
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