Todd Bowles is sticking with the quarterback who has always given the Jets "the best chance to win."
And that's Ryan Fitzpatrick.
After a week of uncertainty surrounding who will start Sunday's game against the rival Patriots, Bowles announced on Monday that he will return to Fitzpatrick. Bowles had benched Fitzpatrick earlier this season due to his struggles. Bryce Petty started the Jets' last game on Nov. 13 against the Rams.
So why go back to Fitzpatrick?
"He's healthy," Bowles said on Monday, following the team's first post-bye week practice. "Ryan's our starter.
"We take it week by week ... and then go from there."
The Jets (3-7) face the daunting task of trying to stop the Patriots' high-scoring offense and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady, who has the best quarterback rating (123.3) in the NFL after serving a four-game suspension.
Up until this past weekend, Fitzpatrick led the league with 13 interceptions. Now, he's tied with Jaguars' third-year quarterback Blake Bortles.
Fitzpatrick, who turns 34 on Thursday, last started against the Dolphins on Nov. 6. He suffered a sprained left MCL during the game and was replaced briefly by Petty. A week later, Bowles decided to start Petty against the Rams because Fitzpatrick still wasn't 100 percent.
In his first NFL start, Petty, a fourth-round pick in 2015, completed 19 of 32 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown in a 9-6 loss.
