When asked about Ryan Fitzpatrick's six-interception performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets coach Todd Bowles said this week the quarterback "can't play worse."
Sunday Fitzpatrick faces an even better secondary in the Seattle Seahawks. The Legion of Boom enters MetLife Stadium averaging 162.7 yards passing per game.
If Fitzpatrick struggles to start the game, Bowles could pull the quarterback, but NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on GameDay Morning that the team isn't looking to yank its starter in favor of Geno Smith.
"Yes, if Ryan Fitzpatrick has another disasterbacle like he had last week we could be talking about Geno Smith coming in and relieving him, but from my understanding talking to people involved in those conversations they are not there yet," Rapoport said. "They really believe Fitzpatrick will bounce back and have the kind of performance that he has had earlier in the year. They have confidence in him. They also know that this what he has done through the course of his career: struggled then bounced back and been a viable quarterback. So a little too early, just a little bit, to start talking about a replacement."
First off: Bravo, Ian. "Disasterbacle" is the perfect made up word to describe Fitzpatrick.
If Smith couldn't get into last week's game, it's clear the coaches would rather keep him saddled to the bench for what is likely his final year in New York.
The past two weeks have been Fitzpatrick's career in a nutshell: Destroys the Bills with pinpoint passes. Gets crushed by the Chiefs with forced passes. It's why Jets brass didn't want to shell out a long-term deal with Fitzpatrick. New York knows what they signed up for with Fitzpatrick and they'll ride that train through the good and the bad weather.