Simple question here. What have we seen of Petty thus far to make us think he is worse than Fitz? Or even Geno for that matter?
Well, if you go back to that high powered game plan Popeye came up with against the Rams, you can see right there that Petty isn't very good at handing off the ball on 1st and 2nd downs into a stacked box or reading coverage when the defense shuts down the short routes. That long ball to Anderson that was overthrown it was clearly Petty's fault that Anderson pulled up. Fitz makes that back shoulder aka: under thrown pass several times a season. The other bomb to Anderson doesn't count as it was a positive play and we all know that can't happen with Petty on the field.
The whole notion that Petty isnt ready to start is bullshit. If Fitz is ready then Petty is too. I trust my eyes. NOTHING seen in his one start suggests that Petty would play worse than Fitz has played this season. Even Bowles said Petty made the correct reads and threw it to the best option nearly every time, and looked composed and comfortable in the pocket. Petty's arm strength and decent long ball accuracy could open the running game and short routes and make the offense more vertical. What's the criticism in Petty's game? A late game turnover for the loss? Fitz has done that at least 4 times this season alone. Locking on first read? At the start of the Pats game Fitz threw nearly all his passes to Marshall and the replay showed he was locked onto him. A limited playbook? Maybe, but they introduced that wheel-route for a TD that I haven't seen ever. And Fitz lives off of a few routes. Last year he won 3 games off that slant route to Decker in the endzone. But he tried it one too many times, the Buffalo defender recognized the play and jumped the route and intercepted the pass to end the Jets season. How many new plays each week would Petty need to install to make him ready? 2? 3? Is he stupid? Doesnt seem so in interviews. Does he get rattled and make mistakes? Maybe, but that will only be borne out with live game reps.
Maybe he doesnt get a chance to win games next year, if he doesnt win games this year. Thats basically been my defense of Bowles for a while. I highly doubt he wants to play Fitz, given how bad he is.
The only reason I can fathom that Petty isn't playing is that he doesn't know the playbook. If he only knows like 6 plays, so we ran those same 6 plays over and over against the Rams, and he has shown that he cannot learn a 7th play--then Bowles is right, we need to start Fitz. Also, that means we should have cut Petty a long time ago. Surely, that's not the case-- so I can see no defensible reason Petty isn't starting. Give the man the ball, Todd.
Then woody needs to tell Bowles he is safe because this season is over and it's time to start figuring out what we have for next year.
This is what I've been saying for a while. You cant tell a guy that he is coaching for his job, and in the same breath, tell him to coach for the future.
Bowles can throw it in Woodys face, tell him that this is the QB he gave him, I know I would. Bowles should tell Woody that the person who went shopping for the groceries bought him some rotten goods and he can't win with that. There are a lot of unknowns, but I believe Woody told Mac to re-sign Fitz, because he believed he would repeat last years performance. I also believe Woody told them to bring Revis back regardless of what it cost, those 2 moves have Woodys fingerprints all over them. That's why Bowles is putting in Fitz regardless of the fact that he is 3-7 for the year, being a company man and taking the brunt of the backlash. JMO
Yea I mean, Bowles certainly hasnt had a great season. I would never argue that he has. But his two highest players have both played like garbage this year. The QB has been garbage. There is some encouraging youth on this team, but by and large, this is an old Jets team. There is plenty of blame to go around. However, I'm not gonna blame Todd because Revis and Wilk have become non factors. Revis got burned by some dude named Mitchell last week. I suppose Bowles could have benched them, but how do we think that would have gone over in the locker room. How many guys coaching for their job would bench everyone? I dont think any would, that is how they would get fired. Owner/GM/Coach all shoulder a good amount of blame this year.
How is it worse to take the car that smokes and sputters on the driveway than driving another car that does the same thing? Especially if you already know you'll ditch the current clunker next year.
If we are to assume that the owner had any input in personnel decisions, he has to shoulder some blame as well.
Bowles is still trying to win games this year. To be fair, that's what he's supposed to do, and he thinks Fitz is his best chance. Period. So the only way Petty sees the field this year is if they give Bowles the punt. And I don't see that happening. And so the hamster wheel continues, the senior management bumbles along, the coaching staff grasps at straws, the players are confused, and we drink. Copiously. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Well surprisingly, the Jets are not mathematically out of the playoffs. If they get beat by the Colts then, yea game over and maybe we see the young'uns.
