Jets Rule Out Fitzpatrick Amid Historic Interception Drought — SkimNews
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- Minkah Fitzpatrick was ruled out Friday after hurting his groin on the sixth play of the season opener, and likely will miss at least another game, with Andre Cisco (55 career starts) expected to take his spot in a Belton-Cisco safety tandem and Malachi Moore in reserve.
- The Jets' defense has gone 18 straight games without an interception across 571 pass attempts, dating to the final game of 2024 — a stretch coach Aaron Glenn is now navigating without his most accomplished playmaker, acquired in the offseason to bring leadership and takeaways to the secondary.
- Fitzpatrick has 21 career interceptions, tied for ninth-most since he entered the league as a first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2018, a track record the Jets had hoped would help snap the drought.
- Rookie first-round wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. was also ruled out with a sprained ankle after playing only four offensive snaps in Week 1; Isaiah Williams is expected to step in as the No. 3 receiver, with the Jets weighing elevations of Sterling Shepard or Tyler Johnson from the practice squad.
- Aaron Glenn, who went 3-1 against Jordan Love while serving as Detroit's defensive coordinator in 2023-2024, called Love's arm talent "unbelievable" and acknowledged Cisco and the secondary must "step up" against a quarterback who threw for 387 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay's 39-22 Week 1 loss to Minnesota.
- Kicker Jason Sanders will handle duties for a second straight week after replacing Blake Grupe; he shanked a 54-yard field goal attempt but drilled three straight, including 51- and 52-yarders, in the Jets' 23-10 Week 1 win over Tennessee.
- The Jets host the Packers on Sunday looking to start 2-0 for the first time since 2015.
Why it matters: Fitzpatrick was the offseason acquisition specifically meant to end a takeaway drought that has now stretched across 571 pass attempts — without him, Glenn's secondary leans on Cisco, who lost the starting job in camp to Belton, against a quarterback Glenn himself called "unbelievable" with the arm to punish mistakes.
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