Jets QB Justin Fields will start against Bengals: source
After a week of trying to fool the media, the Jets will keep the same starting quarterback this week.
Tyrod Taylor, who was expected to start against the Bengals, has been ruled out due to a knee injury he suffered last week in the loss to the Panthers, according to a source. He is not expected to travel with the team to Cincinnati.
Because Taylor will be out, Justin Fields will start for the seventh time this season (Fields missed Week 3 with a concussion). Rookie Brady Cook will be elevated to the practice squad and will be Fields’ backup.
Taylor has been limited in practice all this week, but coach Aaron Glenn said he likes the way he’s been “trending.” This is the same knee Taylor had surgery on in August and missed the entire preseason.
“I got shot in the knee last game,” Taylor said Thursday. “Yeah, just take it day by day, listen to the coaches. They’ve done a great job putting me through rehab and getting me back to good mobility.”
All week, Glenn kept the starting quarterback a secret, not wanting to give the Bengals a “competitive advantage.” Glenn told reporters Friday he wouldn’t announce the Jets’ starting quarterback because he didn’t want to.
“That’s exactly why I’m not telling you, because I don’t want to,” Glenn said. “That’s exactly why I’m saying that, because I don’t want to. I don’t know how many times I have to answer that to you. It’s not going to change.”
The Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract in March, hoping he could be their quarterback of the future. But his play has been terrible since his Week 1 performance against the Steelers.
Fields totaled 845 yards and four touchdowns. But he was inaccurate and kept the ball in the pocket too long.
Fields was ultimately benched at halftime against the Panthers for Taylor after completing 6 of 12 passes for 46 yards. This was preceded by a 9-of-17 45-yard passing performance against the Broncos, during which he was also sacked nine times and the Jets had -10 net passing yards.
Taylor didn’t fare much better after replacing Fields. He completed 10 of 22 passes for 126 yards and two interceptions.
Jets owner Woody Johnson criticized Fields’ play this week during his availability with reporters at the NFL fall meetings. This further sparked speculation that Fields would be benched in favor of Taylor.
“I mean, he has the ability, but something’s just not right,” Johnson said. “But if you look at any coach with a quarterback like that, you’ll see similar results. You’ve got to play that position consistently, and that’s what we’re going to try to do for the rest of the season.”
The Jets will face a Bengals team that had 10 days off following their Week 7 win over the Steelers. Cincinnati is 31st in yards and points allowed this season.
The Bengals are expected to return star passer Trey Hendrickson, according to ESPN. He is listed as questionable due to a hip injury, which caused him to miss the team’s win over Pittsburgh last week.
