FOXBOROUGH, MA – The New York Jets made their intentions for the second half of the 2025 season clear at the trade deadline by transferring on from linchpins of the protection and stockpiling draft picks with a watch for the long run. For a crew that sank to 2-8 days later with a 27-14 “Thursday Night Football” defeat by the hands of the New England Patriots, the pair of blockbuster offers have been undoubtedly forward-thinking strikes by first-year basic supervisor Darren Mougey.
Profitable – together with New York’s victory over the man bottom-feeding Cleveland Browns on Nov. 9 – comes at a value. The value is treasured draft position.
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Which is why using Justin Fields as quarterback is concerning the smartest determination a tanking crew may make within the fashionable NFL.
That’s a harsh criticism of Fields, sure. However one of many major job descriptions of “quarterback” is throwing the ball. Fields, at current, on this Jets’ offense, is essentially incapable of performing the duty.
Fields completed 15-for-26 passing with 116 yards via the air. He additionally rushed 11 occasions for 67 yards, together with a 5-yard landing on the sport’s opening sequence, which took eight minutes and 4 seconds off the clock. That drive resembled the product of an expert offense.
The remainder of the sport? Not a lot.
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“Hear, there have been some good issues, actually good issues,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn mentioned. “I believed he put some balls on the market. We acquired to have some guys that make some performs for him, too. I do know for a reality he will say there are some issues he can do higher.
“I believed he had some actually good throws. We simply acquired to complete these.”
At halftime, Fields had extra dashing yards (28) than passing yards (23). Forty-one of his passing yards, almost one-third of his whole, got here in rubbish time. In 4 of his 9 begins this season, he is thrown for lower than 54 yards. Explosives via the air are as uncommon with Fields at quarterback as Jets playoff appearances, with the franchise’s postseason drought approaching 15 seasons now.
Fields’ effectiveness as a runner makes the offense a conundrum for the teaching employees as a result of, as Glenn mentioned, they “do not wish to make it a behavior of our quarterback simply persevering with to run as a result of we will put him in hurt’s means.”
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“Justin ran the ball fairly a bit,” Glenn mentioned. “The factor is we, man, cannot put Justin in a state of affairs the place that is a working again and I feel everyone knows that as a result of we’ll put him in hurt’s means.
“He did a superb job on a few of these runs. We simply need to be calculated once we do these issues.”
Regardless, Fields occupies the function of fine and constant soldier.
“No matter I’ve to do to get this crew as profitable as could be and for us to achieve our highest potential, I am prepared to do no matter,” Fields mentioned. “So if that is me working the ball, that is what it’s.”
New arrival AD Mitchell – the wideout who came to visit in the trade that sent Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts – and Fields weren’t on the identical web page in any respect within the second quarter. On one third down, Mitchell beat Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez on a double-move down the left sideline and had a step of separation. Fields put a pleasant throw on his again shoulder, in-stride, however Mitchell couldn’t snag the go.
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On a distinct drive, Fields had Mitchell extensive open on an out-breaking path to the fitting. A poor throw gave Mitchell nary an opportunity of creating the play.
“You sort of simply need to roll with it and take care of it,” Fields mentioned of the brand new faces he is throwing to (newly acquired receiver John Metchie had the longest catch of twenty-two yards and three whole for 45 yards). “You possibly can’t take a look at your circumstances. Simply acquired to go on the market and play.”
In equity to Fields, the deck is stacked towards him. It’s not Fields’ fault the protection has not recorded an interception all season (and only one turnover). Earlier than the sport, the Jets placed receiver Garrett Wilson on injured reserve.
On Thursday, the acid on the wound got here within the fourth quarter with the Jets trailing by 10. On the primary play of the drive, Fields fumbled the snap and as a substitute of merely falling on it, he tried to choose up the pigskin and run. That was a doomed effort. New England recovered and kicked a subject purpose 4 performs later.
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What should be tough for Fields’ teammates is that he looks like a stand-up man. Per week after Jets owner Woody Johnson put him on blast to the entire world, he helped his crew win its first sport of the season. He shared a genuine moment of vulnerability – conveying the message that it’s certainly OK to not be OK – in that postgame information convention. That’s highly effective and essential stuff.
The unhappy actuality is that issues nearly zilch on the gridiron.
Glenn has made it a ritual of not asserting a beginning quarterback in some form of conflict with the Massive Apple media. The speaking heads will preserve asking concerning the viability of beginning Fields so long as there may be one other sport to play.
But when Fields is within the dialog to be the starter anyway, dropping might be for the perfect.
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Justin Fields’ poor play is Jets’ tank dream for top NFL draft pick
