Who Should Be Jets' Starting QB After Bye?

The New York Jets enter their Week 9 bye following a thrilling come-from-behind 39-38 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. Head coach Aaron Glenn has a notable decision at quarterback. Justin Fields should start versus the Cleveland Browns.

It was an emotional week for Fields. He was benched at halftime of the Jets' Week 7 defeat. Team owner Woody Johnson criticised the dual-threat quarterback midweek, essentially claiming Fields was responsible for the Jets' winless start.

The initial expectation was that veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor would start against the Bengals. Taylor appeared on the midweek injury report with an unexpected setback. The Jets had no choice but to start Fields, who took advantage of his opportunity.

Fields completed 21-of-32 passing attempts for 244 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. He added 31 rushing yards to his offensive totals. He executed Tanner Engstrand's offense to perfection, overseeing a 39-point and 502-yard performance.

Fields' 15-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Johnson occurred during the second quarter. The Jets offense was facing a critical 4th-and-2 while trailing 17-3. Fields threw an accurate over-the-shoulder pass to Johnson despite being under pressure in the pocket.

The Jets entered the fourth quarter losing 31-16. Fields and Engstrand's offense outscored the Bengals 23-7 to claim an unlikely comeback victory. The athletic starting quarterback made several incredible plays throughout. The Jets successfully converted a pair of two-point conversions en route to taking the lead. One of them featured this unbelievable effort from Fields, who threw an accurate low ball before his knee hit the ground on a would-be sack.

The advanced stats agree that Fields' Week 9 showing was impressive. Pro Football Focus credited him with multiple big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays. Fields' 7.6 yards per attempt was his third-highest individual mark of the season.

Fields was not sacked behind a dominant offensive line performance. Holding onto the football and inviting pressure has long been a critique of his quarterbacking. On Sunday, the former Ohio State standout averaged 2.92 seconds from snap-to-throw on his attempts. The offensive line deserves praise, but Fields' release time was notably faster than his 3.09 average.

Fields' 99 passer rating was his fourth-highest of the season. His adjusted QBR (67.0) was third-best. Fields' completion percentage of 65.6 was 6.8 points higher than his expected completion percentage (xCOMP%) of 58.9%, per Next Gen Stats.

The Jets offense had an 80.6% series conversion rate, meaning they routinely gained first downs, according to RBSDM. Fields' EPA (Expected Points Added) was an excellent 14.1, with a positive per-play EPA output of 0.38. Fields ensured the offense was efficient and on schedule.

Fields has often struggled throughout 2025, but he was lights-out on Sunday as the Jets claimed their first victory of a challenging campaign. Glenn declined opportunities to name his Week 10 starting quarterback immediately, but the decision is straightforward. Fields deserves a chance to build on his stellar performance versus the Browns.