Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor? Well, Aaron Glenn is still considering who'll be the winless New York Jets' starting quarterback this week.
It's not such a simple call, either. Not when the options aren't overwhelmingly enticing.
“That's something I want to continue to look at,” Glenn said a day after Fields was benched to start the second half of the Jets’ 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers
on Sunday in favor of Taylor.Fields was 6 of 12 for 46 yards
and sacked three times in the first two quarters. That came after he was 9 of 17 for 45 yards and sacked nine times in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to Denver last Sunday in London.
A week after defending Fields and saying he didn't want the quarterback looking over his shoulder, he pulled him while trying to find “a spark.” Instead, Taylor was 10 of 22 for 126 yards and two drive-killing interceptions — “You can't have that,” Glenn said — against the Panthers.
“It's early on Monday, so, I said this yesterday, there's a lot of thought that goes into that for me, personally, and then being able to get with the staff,” Glenn said. "And then being able to ask other coaches that have been in this situation how they handled that.
“I'm not running away from the question at all. The thing is, I want to make sure I make the right decision. And I don't want to make rash decisions, either.”
The Jets gave Fields a two-year deal worth $40 million, including $30 million guaranteed, in the offseason. They believed Fields could thrive in new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand's system and not only be a short-term stop-gap, but perhaps a long-term solution.
Fields has instead been unable to consistently move the offense, which has no touchdowns in its past eight quarters. And Engstrand and the offensive staff have been unable to bring out the best in the quarterback.
“I think there's blame to go around on a number of things when you look at that question,” Glenn said. “We have to continue to figure out: How do we put him in the best position to be successful? We also have to look at Justin. Has has to execute. ... We're not going to point the finger and blame just one person at all.”
The 36-year-old Taylor obviously isn't the future for the Jets, but he might be able to at least unclog the offense a little bit — which could lead to a few victories.
So, Glenn has to consider this when making his quarterback decision: How much of it will be weighing trying to beat the Bengals vs. the long-term effects of the call?
“My mindset right now,” Glenn said, “is who gives us the best chance to win, to be honest with you.”
The Jets are 0-7 for the third time in franchise history. Glenn is also the first coach in franchise history to begin his tenure with seven losses.
Right now, it seems a win is no sure thing for any game this season. And they don't have a clear-cut quarterback, either.
“Our guys are working and this will turn,” Glenn insisted. “I understand, we're 0-7 and it doesn't feel good. But this will turn.”
Defense. After early season struggles, the Jets have held the Broncos and Panthers each to 13 points and put New York's offense in position to pull out winnable games. Carolina was just 5 of 17 on third down, although the Panthers were also 3 for 4 on fourth down. Still, the defense has made enough plays lately.
“I think these guys are getting a lot more confident in what they're doing,” Glenn said.
Pass protection. Jets quarterbacks have been sacked 15 times in the past two games and 20 in the past three, which ties for the most in franchise history in a three-game span, according to ESPN Research. Some of that is on the QBs themselves, but there have been lots of breakdowns where defenders seem to roam free into the backfield. The Jets allowed 17 quarterback pressures against the Panthers.
S Malachi Moore. The fourth-round pick out of Alabama has started four games, including the past three, while seeing an increase in snaps. He played the entire game against the Panthers and had three tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed, and added a special teams tackle.
“I'm proud of where he's at,” Glenn said. “He's still an ascending player for us.”
The offense. All of it. From Engstrand to the quarterbacks down to the O-line. When a team is struggling to move the ball the way the Jets are, there's plenty of blame to go around.
CB Sauce Gardner and RB/KR Kene Nwangwu are in the concussion protocol. ... DT Jay Tufele is dealing with what Glenn said is “a mild knee sprain.” ... WR Garrett Wilson sat out his first NFL game Sunday with a knee injury and his status for this week is uncertain.
0 — The Jets have no touchdowns in the first half of their past six games. They only have seven overall during that span, but one has come in the third quarter and the other six in the fourth.
First, Glenn needs to decide on his starting quarterback. Then, the Jets will prepare to face the Bengals and Joe Flacco, who beat Aaron Rodgers — remember those guys? — and the Steelers last week.
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