The day after benching starting quarterback Justin Fields at halftime, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn was no closer to his final answer on this week’s starter. Instead, Glenn plans to phone a friend.
Glenn said Monday the Jets (0-7) are going to take longer than usual to get the decision right after he pulled Fields in favor of Tyrod Taylor on Sunday. Taylor was intercepted twice in the second half and the Jets lost at home to the Carolina Panthers, 13-6.
The numbers are not great for Fields the past two games with 12 total sacks taken and 15 completions for 91 yards.
“That’s something that I want to continue to look at. It’s early on Monday,” Glenn said. “I said this (Sunday), there’s a lot of thought that goes into that for me personally and then being able to get with the staff. And then being able to ask other coaches that have been in this situation, and 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. I don’t want to make rash decisions, either.”
His first call might be to Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
In Campbell’s first season in Detroit in 2021, the Lions lost their first eight games with Jared Goff at quarterback. Like Glenn this season, Campbell was frustrated by a number of close losses. He didn’t have a proven option behind Goff — Tim Boyle and David Blough were on the depth chart — and stayed the course throughout a 3-13-1 season.
As Glenn, previously defensive coordinator in Detroit, prepares for Week 8 wondering aloud who should start at QB, Goff leads the NFL in passer rating, has 1,390 yards and a completion percentage of 75.9 with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Taylor was also sacked three times by the Panthers on Sunday with two picks and 10 completions in 22 attempts.
Fields said Sunday night he was surprised by Glenn’s decision to sit him in the second half.
“A little bit (surprised), but at the same time, I can’t be mad at the decision,” he said.
Glenn also gave a few injury reports during Monday’s press conference. Standout cornerback Sauce Gardner and reserve running back Kene Nwangwu are both in concussion protocol coming out of Sunday’s loss and defensive tackle Jay Tufele is dealing with a “mild” knee sprain.
The coach also said he expects running back Breece Hall, one of a few bright spots on the winless team with 448 rushing yards, to be “just fine” after getting dinged up.
Glenn did not have much of an update on wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who missed Sunday’s loss due to a knee injury he sustained the prior week. “I’ll have more information as far as Garrett going into practice this week,” Glenn said.
–Field Level Media
