FLORHAM PARK, N.J. _ Jets head coach Todd Bowles reiterated he plans to stick with Ryan Fitzpatrick as his starting quarterback.
"He's been in the league a long time," Bowles said Monday. "I think if you're in this league long enough, you're going to go through some slumps _ as a team. Not just Ryan, but as a team. There are some chemistry things that we have to straighten out, but he's confident. We're confident in our offense and we know we'll get it turned around."
Despite throwing 10 interceptions _ including nine over the past two games _ Fitzpatrick remains the Jets' preferred choice over backup Geno Smith. And, according to Bowles, the embattled quarterback is still their "best chance to win."
"Well, right now, it's chemistry," Bowles said, when asked what Fitzpatrick has over Smith, Bryce Petty and second-rounder Christian Hackenberg.
"Obviously, everybody's got an arm and they can throw the football. But based on what he did last year and the things that he accomplished last year going into the season, from a confidence standpoint, he's our best chance to win."
A week after throwing a career-worst six interceptions, Fitzpatrick threw three fourth-quarter picks in Sunday's 27-17 loss to the Seahawks.
According to ESPN Stats and Information, the 33-year-old has an NFL-worst 16 fourth-quarter interceptions since the start of last season and is the fifth player in the last 30 seasons to throw at least 10 picks in the first four games of a season. He's also the first quarterback since 1986 [Steve DeBerg] to throw nine interceptions in a two-game span.
Despite his struggles, Fitzpatrick said _ again _ that he's the right choice.
"I know I'm the right guy for it," he said. "We found ourselves in a little slump last year and came out of it. Just through all my experience and all of the things that I've been through in my career, I know I'm the right guy to get this thing headed in the right direction."
