Sportsnaut
A new stat following the New York Jets‘ latest defeat offers up more evidence for why the team must tank for the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and move on from Justin Fields.
On Sunday, the Jets took the top spot in a category Aaron Glenn was hoping to avoid in his first season as head coach. After five weeks in the new NFL season, New York is now the only team that remains winless after falling to the Dallas Cowboys at home in Week 5.
While quarterback Justin Fields had good numbers on Sunday (309 total yards and two touchdowns), he did not play well in his role as the leader of the offense. They managed just 22 points against one of the worst defenses in the league, and he was sacked five times as he posted an awful 24.2 quarterback rating.
The loss also brought to light a terrible stat that should put a nail in the coffin of the idea that Fields is a legitimate starting QB in the league. In games where the opposing team scores 21 or more points, the 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft has a horrifying record of 0-26.
It sends one clear message. In an era where the game is geared toward offense first, Fields just can’t hang and will only win games if he is on a team with a top 10 defense. That is why the New York Jets must start planning for the end of the Fields era and tank for the No. 1 pick in April.
The Jets’ decision to give Justin Fields a two-year contract worth $40 million in the spring wasn’t an outrageous decision. With a new head coach and general manager leading the way, wanting to start fresh and move on from the disaster that was Aaron Rodgers’ two years in New York made sense.
Furthermore, they weren’t in a position to select one of the QBs they had a high value on in the 2025 NFL Draft. And the five-year veteran looked good as he went 4-2 in his six starts for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. However, there was always an understanding that this could be Fields’s last real chance at being a starter in the league. The first four weeks of the new season now confirm Fields won’t be a long-term answer at QB for Gang Green.
Is it all his fault the Jets have a 0-4 record? No. But this season is just more evidence that he is still the player he has been his entire career, and that is not a franchise QB. Or even a competent winning signal caller. Should the Jets bench Fields in Week 6? Probably not. But as the season plays out, they must consider it, because they have a big goal next...
