With the Jets and Giants set to tussle Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in what will be both franchises’ third preseason game, I’m reminded of Dennis Green’s priceless post-game rant from a decade ago, when he referenced his own team’s third exhibition game that season as evidence that his opponent was “WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE!!!!!!!”
Looking toward the fast-approaching (though not nearly fast enough for couch potatoes everywhere) NFL regular season, the steady narrative is that Big Blue always has a shot at special things happening because they’ve got Eli Manning under center, while Gang Green is facing an uphill climb-- in a mudslide -- because they’ve got a journeyman signal-caller.
But what if Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t who we think he is?
The conventional wisdom is that you know exactly what you’re gonna get from Fitzpatrick -- a solid professional effort from a generally proficient game manager, accompanied by the occasional negative play resulting from a forced throw by a Harvard guy whose brain may envision things his right arm can’t quite execute. Maybe his nickname should be the Amish Cap Gun. Not quite the same ring to it.
But what if Fitzpatrick’s ceiling is higher than we think -- and what if he hasn’t come close to reaching it yet? After all, despite the early success of outliers like Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck, there’s no substitute for NFL playing time, and it’s proven time and again that QB question marks can become top-flight performers with the right mix of experience, persistence and luck -- not to mention a solid supporting cast, like the one Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles are trying to build.
Rich Gannon, Chris Chandler and Brad Johnson were all very ordinary -- and well-traveled --quarterbacks who lifted their play significantly in their mid 30s. Oh yeah, and all of them led their teams to the Super Bowl. Gannon even won an NFL MVP award in the process.
Or for a little local flavor, how ‘bout Vinny from Elmont? Fitzpatrick seems unable to shake the stigma of a 33-55-1 record as a starting QB. Ugly indeed, but what about 48-83-1 -- Testaverde’s career record when he arrived in New York in 1998? Or, on the other hand, 12-1. That’s what he did when he got here, while playing as well as any QB in the league at the age of 35.
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The 32-year-old Fitzpatrick is coming off the best season of his pro career, one in which he made fewer mistakes than he traditionally had in the past, and with Chan Gailey appearing to favor a conservative game plan, errors should remain few and far between.
Based on recent history, there’s every reason to think Fitzpatrick can play at a higher level this year than he did in 2014. If he does, the journeyman may not be moving on again for a while.
