New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold will not play in his team’s Week 5 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday after suffering a sprained AC joint.
Head coach Adam Gase confirmed that Darnold will be out on a week-to-week basis, opening the door for veteran Joe Flacco to get his first start with the Jets after signing via free agency over the offseason.
Darnold’s shelving adds more frustration to an already-lost Jets season under Gase. The lack of offensive weapons surrounding Darnold have been especially lean this season while the head coach’s playcalling and schematics have constantly provided an uphill climb for the third-year passer.
At 0-4, the Jets season is already over with the only question remaining being if they can avoid 0-16 in 2020. Therefore, there isn’t much reason for hastily bringing Darnold back in the fold — especially behind a porous offensive line that has constantly left him running for his life from the pocket.
Such a formula looks to be a disaster in the making for Flacco, who isn’t nearly as mobile as Darnold.
The 35-year-old first dressed for the Jets last week after recovering from a neck injury that cut his 2019 season short with the Denver Broncos. He momentarily relieved Darnold during the Jets’ Week 4 loss to those very same Broncos on Thursday night completing a pair of passes for 16 yards.
That dink-and-dump kind of offense might be his best chance at surviving behind that Jets offensive line, allowing him to get the ball out of his hands quickly.
Flacco will be starting an NFL game for a 13th season with the Jets, possessing a 98-73 record with 40,083 career passing yards, 218 touchdowns, and 141 interceptions.
