Despite a hand injury that will eventually require surgery, Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the New York Jets' starting quarterback Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ryan Fitzpatrick will start for Jets in Week 9
Fitzpatrick is the least injured of New York’s top two quarterbacks.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jets coach Todd Bowles announced Wednesday that Fitzpatrick would start, saying he had been able to function in practice.
“He looked fine [at practice],” Bowles said. “He did everything he would normally do.”
Fitzpatrick left last weekend's 34-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders after tearing ligaments in his non-throwing hand, but was forced to return to the game when backup Geno Smith sustained a shoulder injury. Smith was making his first appearance of the season after suffering a broken jaw in a preseason incident with then-teammate IK Enemkpali.
Fitzpatrick has completed 61.9 percent of his passes in New York’s 4-3 start, throwing for 1,518 yards and 11 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Smith hit on 64.3 percent on his passes in his relief stint, but was sacked three times in 45 dropbacks, while Fitzpatrick has only been sacked four times all season in 219 dropbacks.
Third-string quarterback Bryce Petty is expected to get a higher-than-normal number of snaps this week in case Smith is unavailable against the Jaguars.
See More:
