On Saturday, the New York Jets’ quarterback fortunes took a turn for the worse. In their game against the New York Jets, head coach Aaron Glenn announced that Tyrod Taylor would miss next week’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals due to a knee injury. This decision comes after a week that included an interim appointment and deep speculation about Taylor’s future. He went from practicing in a limited capacity to being listed as questionable. Specifically, assuming Justin Fields will be the starter from day one. In addition, rookie Brady Cook is poised to be the backup.
Glenn had been leaning in favor of Taylor as the starting QB before making the announcement this week. As the week wore on, it became clear that Taylor would not be taking the trip. Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati would still be crossed off his itinerary. On Thursday, he had expressed optimism about his condition, stating he felt well enough to play but was still undergoing treatment. Even so, Glenn gave no hints that Taylor would be out leading up to the game, not even before the game announcement on Saturday.
Considering Fields, the embattled young quarterback who has had an up-and-down start to the season himself, will be leading the charge for Chicago against Cincinnati. This year, he has already stripped down to only six starts. His Total QBR is 31.8, ranked 31st of 33 qualified passers. His open-field performance has led many to speculate further about his longterm role on the team. This is despite Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly calling for his head just four days ago, saying he was to blame for the team’s winless record.
Yet, to his credit, Glenn has continued to defend Fields against the ever-increasing waves of pressure and criticism. The coach pulled Fields from last week’s game against the Carolina Panthers while the Jets were trailing 10-3, signaling a potential loss of confidence in his abilities. After a terrible showing against the Denver Broncos in Week 6, Glenn continued to back Fields. For the Jets, it was a disaster, their offense gaining only minus-10 net passing yards on the day.
The Jets’ concerns only grow as wideout Josh Reynolds gets added to the list with a hip injury. He has since been moved to injured reserve. That would put a lot of pressure on Fields, requiring the young quarterback to be in the thick of things without his top two offensive guns.
For the time being, Glenn has chosen not to reveal his strategy. He’s hoping the ambiguity of his own quarterback situation will provide him a competitive advantage. Expect this decision to be a double-edged sword indeed, with the high stakes of the federal Government’s game on the R4 road ahead.
“The defense is pretty good. If we can just complete a pass, it would look good.” – Woody Johnson
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