New York Jets: One More Loss Should Spark Bryce Petty Stint

The New York Jets dropped to 1-5 after an embarrassing loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. Should we look ahead to Bryce Petty after another loss?

During a postgame conference, New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles explained his decision to pull quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter of a tough loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.

Bowles connected Fitzpatrick’s night to a baseball pitcher who just didn’t have it on a particular night. Here’s the prickly truth. Fitzpatrick hasn’t had it in half the games this year. He’s leading the league in interceptions (11), and the Jets travel back home with a 1-5 record.

Geno Smith took over for Fitzpatrick with a noticeable spring in his step, but he also threw an interception. The Jets couldn’t move the ball through the air or on the ground against the Cardinals. When viewing the season through a wider lens, you’ll notice they’ve struggled to move the ball from Day 1.

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The Jets can spark a dim light in a dark season with a win over a Baltimore Ravens team riding a three-game losing streak, but Bowles should bring quarterback Bryce Petty out of the bullpen after another loss.

Fitzpatrick and Smith will enter the free-agent market in the upcoming offseason. The bearded wonder looks to have used all of his magic, and Smith may be too disgruntled to re-sign at a reasonable price. The Jets should take an extended look at Petty in regular-season action for the sake of the near future.

The decision to give the second-year signal-caller live snaps allows the front office to fully evaluate him as a potential starter for the next season. If he’s nothing more than a backup option, the Jets could put together a list of veteran quarterbacks to pursue until Christian Hackenberg develops enough skill to operate the offense.

According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Petty returned to practice last Thursday after suffering a bruised shoulder during the preseason. He showed potential during the exhibition games. In some cases, he outplayed Smith for the primary backup spot.

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If the Jets can’t shake off their downward spiral and fall to 1-6, it’s best to look ahead and find their quarterback of the future. Keeping the two inexperienced signal-callers on the sideline in a lost season could have long-term repercussions.

It’s not easy to surrender a season with a locker room full of guys, who worked hard to perform their best. However, Bowles will enter his third year as the head coach in 2017. If he doesn’t sort out his quarterback situation, he could lose his job after another unsuccessful season without a playoff appearance.

For any football team, the first objective should be tabbing your franchise quarterback. The Jets’ short-term outlook at the position looks murky at best. One more loss should force Bowles to consider his future, which results in making long-term decisions.