Sticking with Ryan Fitzpatrick Is the Right Call for Struggling New York Jets

It's too easy to put the blame for the team's struggles on the quarterback. The New York Jets didn't take the easy way out of their problems by making Ryan Fitzpatrick the donkey on whom the tail would be pinned. 

On Monday, head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Fitzpatrick will remain the starter on Sunday for the Jets' must-win game against the Miami Dolphins. After losing to the Houston Texans, 24-17, it sounded like the Jets would carefully deliberate over the future of the quarterback position on their roster. 

Less than 24 hours later, the tune had changed, with Bowles admitting that there was "not much" discussion over making a change. 

"We went over the film like we always do and we judge everybody and we rate every player," Bowles said Monday. "[Fitzpatrick] came out and he missed some throws, but like everybody else, he did a lot of things and we did a lot of things wrong as a group that we have to correct."

The Jets had their finger over the "panic" button, but wisely decided not to push down. At 5-5, the season is not lost. There's still a group of six mediocre teams floating around the .500 mark, fighting over those two wild card spots. The Jets are still very much alive in the hunt, and they don't need to win all their games in order to get to the playoffs.

Bowles is sending the right message in sticking with Fitzpatrick: there's still hope for the season, and the offense's shortcomings are not square on his shoulders.

Games	First 8	Last 2
Comp	154	34
Att	249	73
Comp%	61.9	46.6
Yds	1790	409
YPA	7.2	5.6
TD	13	3
INT	7	4
Rate	89.3	55.1

"A lot of times we just need to get on the same page," Bowles said. "I think Ryan made some good throws. I thought he made some bad ones as well. You don't want to give up on a quarterback just like that because overall, on what he's done this year, he still proved he can do that going forward." 

Indeed, the Jets do need to get on the same page offensively. Fitzpatrick completed just 19 of his 39 throws against the Texans, but there were four dropped passes, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Also, Fitzpatrick shouldn't have to shoulder the blame for the offense. As bad as his numbers have been, the Jets running game has been worse. In the first five games, the Jets had 163 rushes for a league-high 730 yards (4.5 yards per attempt) and six touchdowns. Since then, they've run the ball 123 times for 390 yards (sixth-least in the NFL, 3.2 yards per attempt) and three touchdowns.

The Jets can't expect to get an honest assessment of their quarterback—no matter what his name or pedigree—if their running game doesn't pick up its feet.

Fitzpatrick has never been the kind of quarterback that can put a team on his shoulders and lead them to victory on his own. Fitzpatrick is 13-43-1 as a starter when he throws 30 or more passes in a game, and he is 25-17 when attempting fewer than 30 passes in a game.

That being said, the Jets are hoping that Fitzpatrick's production improves quickly. Over the past two games, Fitzpatrick has completed just 34 of 73 passes (46.6 percent) for 409 yards (5.6 yards per attempt) with three touchdowns, four interceptions and a 55.1 passer rating. He hasn't been shy about owning up to his struggles, but that doesn't change his feelings that he's the right man for the job.

"I have no problem shouldering the blame that gets thrown my way—all the blame I deserve and don't deserve," Fitzpatrick said. "I think I'm the right guy to get this thing going in the right direction."

If the Jets are going to turn their season around, it's not up to Fitzpatrick. It's up to the other 10 guys on offense to help him, not force him to will them to win after win.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release.