What to Do with QB Justin Fields and Key Trends for the NY Jets

Happy Thanksgiving! Segment 1: Recap Jets losses to Patriots and Ravens (1:15) Patriots 27, Jets 14 (breaking two-game winning streak) After nice opening TD drive, 14 plays, 72 yards, little offense generated including three 3 and outs following the TD drive QB Justin Fields 23 passing yards in first half -- sixth game this season with less than 100 yards passing -- simply not good enough for an NFL offense Best passing offense: running the ball Questionable play calling continues Patriots currently No. 1 seed in AFC, 9-game winning streak, painful for Jets fans to experience Ravens 23, Jets 10 Had great field position over the first 3 possessions, no points Outscored 23-3 after taking 7-0 lead Jets D played very well, especially against the run Lamar Jackson: 11 yards on 7 carries Stud RB Derrick Henry: only 3 yards per rush allowed Strong performance after trading two of their best defensive players, DT Quinnen Williams and CB Sauce Gardner Great drive in the 4th Q ended inside the Ravens 3-yard-line when RB Breece Hall fumbled after two huge chunk plays, crushing the momentum; special player, one of few bright spots on offense According to ESPN, Jets have lost the past 10 games in which they scored first (historic) Justin Fields benched for backup QB Tyrod Taylor; end of the Justin Fields era? Segment 2: How to Approach the QB Position Now that Fields has been Benched? (11:00) Fields is an elite athlete, strong arm, but has ongoing challenges reading defenses and making decisions fast enough Stick with Tyrod Taylor (assuming he's healthy) to see if new WRs via trade, AD Mitchell and John Metchie III are long-term answers Bigger priority for new head coach Aaron Glenn: see rookie QB Brady Cook get NFL action, or stick with the veteran Taylor to help develop rookie TE Mason Taylor? Taylor a pro QB, Brady Cook has gotten precious view snaps and practice during the regular season Segment 3: Observations on Recent Team Trends (17:50) Trend 1: Jets rushing D turning things around the past three games Trend 2: Kudos to GM Darren Mougey for bringing in DL Jowon Briggs (Browns) and DL Harrison Phillips (Vikings), recognizing need for talent on the D line; and two WRs Metchie and Mitchell (too little too late though) Trend 3: lack of pass rush: Edge Rusher Will McDonald IV has no sacks in last 84 snaps and one tackle since his 4 sack game vs. Cleveland. Injured? Only player brought in over the past 10 weeks not contributing is former Cowboy DL Mazi Smith, part of the Quinnen Williams trade Trend 4: First time head coach Aaron Glenn clearly learning on the job Key Question: What to do with QB Justin Fields? guaranteed $10M in 2026 likely untradeable best approach: as suggested weeks ago: include a series of plays for Fields to take advantage of his elite running skills Signing him seemed like a good idea at the time, to take a flyer on him on a short-term contract Watch Fields go to a team like the Niners and be a great weapon with his legs Segment 4: Previewing Weeks 13 and 14 in the NFL (31:20) Week 13: Falcons at Jets Jets playing against 4-7 teams the next two weeks Atlanta coming off win over the Saints; impressive beatdown vs. the Bills on Monday Night a few weeks ago Falcons only 2 games back of Tampa Bay in their division and Bucs QB Baker Mayfield has a shoulder injury; TB on a 3-game losing streak Key: Jets D to shut down RB Bijan Robinson, keep the game close because they can't match points with Atlanta offense; backup QB Kirk Cousins to start...rusty? Games Of Note Chiefs at Cowboys (KC a 3 point favorite) Packers at Detroit (big divisional game for playoff positioning) Joe Burrow returns for the Bengals vs. Baltimore (to provide a spark?) Bears at Eagles (Philly coming off loss in Dallas after leading 21-0); Bears on 4 game winning streak, leading the NFC North); Eagles winning games despite series of mistakes Houston at Colts (Texans D really playing well); huge divisional game Rams at Carolina (Rams well-balanced team); QB Matthew Stafford MVP candidate, LA on a 6-game winning streak, No. 1 seed in NFC Vikings at Seattle: Minny in free fall, QB JJ McCarthy playing like a rookie QB Bills at Pittsburgh: huge game for both teams' playoff chances Week 14: Dolphins at Jets Dolphins beat the Jets in Week 4; Jets outgained Miami by 100 yards Week 4: Jets had 3 turnovers, and allowed TE Darren Waller to come out of retirement and grab 2 TDs Miami playing better football of late, beat the Bills, should get Waller back for this game after another injury Games at Note Cowboys at Lions Colts at Jaguars Steelers at Ravens Bears at Green Bay Texans at KC (at real risk of missing the playoffs for the first time in years) Eagles at Chargers Broncos leading the division and finding ways to win games, leads KC by 3 games Segment 5: Final Thoughts (54:34) Want the Jets to play well but lose for draft position Counterpoint: would like to see a few more wins to show development and improvement of rookie head coach Aaron Glenn; losing breeds losing! Evaluate talent to be on next year's roster Brutal to talk about the NFL Draft in November (October too) yet again, but...