Justin Fields appears to be playing with a lot more patience this season, based on his recent comments about the lack of deep passes with the New York Jets. It’s not that coaches aren’t asking him to throw deep, but rather the opposite; he is analyzing defenses more deeply.
In the second preseason game, Fields completed just one of five passes, and just like in the first game, the quarterback was seen making short throws and not looking for the deep part of the field. This, he says, is due to what he’s seeing from defenses.
“It’ll come. No need to force it,” Fields said about the lack of deep passes. “When you try to force it, that’s when tipped balls & picks happen, so my mindset is always gonna be to take what the defense gives you.”
Two Inconsistent Games for Fields
It’s true that the preseason isn’t used to judge all players, much less someone like Fields, who has been playing in the NFL for a while. However, his first two preseason games have shown little offensive production, as he has completed just 4 of 9 pass attempts.
Other quarterbacks, Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook, are getting more opportunities during the three-week Jets preseason. Martinez has so far shown to be one of the best backups and is a top contender for the number two spot on the depth chart.
When Is the Jets’ First Regular Season Game?
The Jets and Fields will have the chance to start the 2025 season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is Fields’ former team. After that, they will have a dangerous Week 2 game against the Buffalo Bills, also at home. This year, they will also have the opportunity to play in London against the Broncos in Week 6.