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Well, Jets fans, if you were hoping for a dramatic quarterback switch this week, you’re going to have to keep waiting. Tyrod Taylor won’t be suiting up Sunday against the Bengals, which means Justin Fields gets another crack at it—whether anyone wants that or not. Taylor’s been dealing with a knee issue all week, and despite the Jets’ best efforts to keep everyone guessing, the veteran signal-caller has officially been ruled out. He won’t even make the trip to Cincinnati. So much for all that mystery Aaron Glenn tried to build up. Fields Back Under Center Despite Recent Struggles Here’s the thing: Fields hasn’t exactly been lighting it up lately. His performance against the Panthers last week was, to put it kindly, rough. He went 6-of-12 for a whopping 46 yards and got sacked three times before Glenn mercifully pulled him at halftime. Taylor came in and didn’t exactly set the world on fire either—throwing two picks without finding the end zone—but at least he tried. Since that promising Week 1 showing against Pittsburgh, Fields has been somewhere between inconsistent and invisible. He’s completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 845 yards and four touchdowns across six games. Sure, he hasn’t thrown a pick yet, but when you’re barely pushing the ball downfield, that’s not exactly a badge of honor. His legs have provided some spark—257 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries—but it hasn’t been nearly enough to get this offense moving. Taylor’s Injury More Serious Than Jets Let On Now, about Taylor’s knee. The Jets listed him as limited in practice all week, but Glenn played it cool, acting like everything was fine. On Friday, Taylor was questionable, and Glenn even mentioned him among the injured players who were “trending” in the right direction. Clearly, that trend took a nosedive somewhere between Friday’s practice and Saturday’s travel plans. Taylor said Thursday that he took a helmet shot to the knee during the Carolina game—the same knee he had surgery on this summer, which kept him out most of training camp. “Just taking it day-by-day, listening to the trainers,” Taylor said. “They’ve done a great job of putting me through rehab and getting just good mobility back into it.” What This Means for the Jets Offense Look, nobody knows if Glenn would’ve turned to Taylor this week even if he were healthy. The vibes suggested a change was coming—especially after owner Woody Johnson decided to throw some shade at the quarterback position during the NFL owners meetings on Tuesday. Man very poor timing with those words Woody, just sell the team. But here we are. Fields gets another start, and rookie Brady Cook will back him up. Cook, by the way, hasn’t taken a regular-season snap yet, so if things go sideways early, don’t expect Glenn to pull the cord. After Sunday, the Jets head into their bye week, which gives them time to regroup before hosting the Browns. Hopefully by then, Taylor’s knee will be sorted out, and Glenn won’t have to keep playing these guessing games with the media. But hey at least those practices are damn good still, yes he is still saying that when there 0-7. Bottom Line Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with $30 million guaranteed back in March. The Jets were hoping he’d be the latest reclamation project to thrive in a new system. So far, that hasn’t happened. Sunday in Cincinnati might be Fields last real chance to prove he belongs under center for this team by getting a win. Or maybe the Jets will just keep riding this roller coaster all season to secure the 1st overall pick.
