After a rough outing against the Bills, Jets veteran Tyrod Taylor shares key advice with Justin Fields as questions swirl around the teams quarterback future.
The Justin Fields era in New York hit a serious speed bump on Sunday, and it wasn’t pretty. The Jets were outclassed in a 30-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium, and Fields, in his second start with the team, struggled mightily before exiting in the fourth quarter due to a concussion.
Fields finished the game completing just 3 of 11 passes for 27 yards. That’s not a typo.
While he did show flashes with his legs – racking up 49 rushing yards – the overall offensive performance left a lot to be desired. Fields never looked comfortable in the pocket, and Buffalo’s defense didn’t make things any easier, consistently collapsing the pocket and forcing errant throws.
By the time head coach Aaron Glenn made the call to insert veteran Tyrod Taylor, the writing was already on the wall. Fields was placed in concussion protocol, and the Jets were simply trying to finish the game with some dignity intact.
But in the aftermath of a tough day, Taylor – who’s been around the league long enough to have seen just about everything – had some encouraging words for his young teammate.
“Just take it one game at a time,” Taylor said postgame. “Everyone wants to be great in their own way.
Stick to the process, remain confident, and learn from these games. There’s a ton of tape out there now.
Two games in, there are positives and things we didn’t do so well. The key is learning from both and building your game early in the season.
Critique yourself hard and bounce back from these kinds of performances.”
That’s the kind of veteran presence that matters in a locker room, especially when a young quarterback is trying to find his footing under immense pressure.
Now, the big question: where does Glenn go from here?
Fields is in the concussion protocol, which could make the decision for Week 3 a medical one. But even if Fields is cleared, does Glenn consider making a switch? We haven’t yet seen Glenn make a bold move at quarterback, but given how things unfolded against Buffalo, this might be the moment.
Taylor didn’t light the world on fire in limited action, but his command of the offense and ability to steady the ship stood out. He’s a seasoned pro who’s been in this situation before – asked to step in, calm the chaos, and give his team a chance to compete.
There’s also the business side to consider. Fields is on a two-year, $20 million deal.
That gives the Jets some financial flexibility if they decide to go in another direction. It’s not a franchise-altering contract, and Glenn may have the freedom to pivot if he feels Taylor gives the offense a better shot at stability – or even just functionality.
It’s only Week 2, but the NFL doesn’t wait around. Fields learned that the hard way on Sunday.
Whether this was just a rough outing or the start of a larger shift remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: the Jets have decisions to make, and fast.
