A day after falling to 0-3, the Jets got some good news.
Starting quarterback Sam Darnold, who has missed the past two games with mononucleosis, underwent testing Monday and got positive results. The Jets are hopeful he can play in their next game, on Oct. 6 against the Eagles.
Darnold was not quite Joe Namath on Monday, but did predict the Jets are going to turn things around.
“We’re going to go on a little run here,” Darnold said on a conference call with reporters. “It’s going to be fun, but it’s going to take a lot of work. I know a lot of the guys on the team are willing to put in that work.”
The Jets looked like they needed a lot of work after Sunday’s 30-14 defeat to the Patriots. Getting Darnold back should give the 32nd-ranked offense a nice boost. It is also a morale boost for a team that could use it as it enters their bye week.
“It starts with [Darnold],” coach Adam Gase said. “I know he’s determined to really help kind of get things turned around. As long as our defense and special teams keep doing what they’re doing and we can get better on offense, it should help us swing things in the other direction.”
Gase was cautious not to say that Darnold would definitely be back for the game in Philadelphia, but his remarks left no doubt that he felt good about Darnold’s chances. The team also released quarterback David Fales, who served as Luke Falk’s backup Sunday, another sign they expect Darnold to return.
“He’s feeling better. He looks better,” Gase said. “Everything looks like it is trending in the right direction. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. We still, obviously, have a week to make sure he’s good to go for next Wednesday [for practice]. That’s really the aiming point for us to get him healthy.”
Darnold said the tests he underwent Monday showed that his enlarged spleen had decreased in size, but it was still not to the point where doctors would clear him for contact. Mononucleosis causes the spleen to enlarge and the risk is if Darnold gets hit, it could rupture and kill him.
Darnold said the doctors did clear him to begin doing light exercise this week and he will be tested again next Monday to see if his spleen’s size has decreased enough for him to play. Darnold also said he may be able to throw later this week.
The past two weeks have been tough for Darnold, as he’s been reduced to spectator as his team struggles.
“It’s disappointing that I’m not able to go out there and help the team as much as I can,” Darnold said. “It is what it is. It sucks watching, too, from the couch. The things that we need to fix are little things and we can get them fixed. It’s just about staying the course and continuing to do things right. It starts with practice.”
One of the challenges for Darnold when he returns is not trying to save the season by himself. The Jets have many more problems than just quarterback play. Darnold is being viewed as a savior.
“I’m just going to go in there and control what I can control,” Darnold said. “We just need to fix some details at other spots as well. We’re not blind to that. It’s just about going out there and going out in practice, in meeting rooms, in walkthroughs and being able to fix all that stuff and not being shy about it. We’re not worried about hurting anyone’s feelings. It’s about getting this stuff right. We’re going to get it right. It’s just a matter of time.”
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