The Jets will kick off the final seven weeks following their bye without Sam Darnold, who will miss Sunday's game against the Chargers with a sprained shoulder.
Darnold will miss his fourth game — and second in a row — due to a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder that he initially suffered in a Week 4 loss to the Broncos. The third-year quarterback aggravated the injury on a fourth-quarter scramble during a blowout loss to the Chiefs on Nov. 1.
Joe Flacco, who was brilliant for three quarters before a costly late interception doomed Gang Green in a loss to the Patriots in Week 9, will make his fourth start of the season.
"It's a smart decision not to play," Darnold said Monday. "It's got to heal."
Adam Gase said that team decision makers talked to Jets medical personnel and outside consultants before determining to keep Darnold out again. It's the wise decision given that Darnold experienced pain and discomfort in the run-up to their primetime game against the Patriots.
Gase maintained that putting Darnold, who will miss the 10th game of his young career, on Injured Reserve hasn't been a serious consideration. The team views the signal caller as week-to-week at this point, but there is optimism that he could be back to face the Dolphins in Week 12.
Darnold said he was "very confident" that he'd be able to return this season, but made it clear that wants to be as close as 100% as possible to reduce the chance of getting hurt again. Darnold returned to the game both times he hurt his shoulder. He missed just one series against the Broncos before returning. But he missed the next two games. Then, he curiously returned to the game in Kansas City even though the Jets were trailing by 26 points in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, Flacco threw three touchdowns in his last start to give the Jets a 10-point fourth-quarter lead. However, his interception late in the game on an ill-advised heave into double coverage ultimately doomed Gang Green.
The Jets are 0-9 in games that Darnold has missed.
