Jets to start QB Joe Flacco vs. Cardinals with Sam Darnold ruled out
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets will be without starting quarterback Sam Darnold on Sunday when they host the Cardinals.
Darnold, who suffered an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder during Thursday night’s loss to the Broncos, was ruled out by coach Adam Gase on Wednesday. Backup Joe Flacco will start in his place.
Darnold is “week-to-week” according to Gase.
“We went through our process,” Gase said. “Our doctors, second opinions, just making sure we did the right thing, not only by him — [for] the immediate future and long term.”
Gase said the doctors will reevaluate Darnold after this week before determining his status going forward.
This will be the seventh game Darnold has missed because of injury or illness. The Jets are 0-6 in those games — Darnold sat out three games with a foot injury late in his 2018 rookie season and missed three games early last year with mono.
A year ago, when Darnold missed times the Jets were completely ineffective on offense. But one of the reasons the Jets signed Flacco in the offseason was to give the team a proven veteran presence in case Darnold ever missed time.
Gase said the offense won’t be much different with Flacco at the helm.
“Those guys [Darnold and Flacco] have similar are strength and every thing,” Gase said. “Those guys can make all the same throws.”
There is some question about Flacco’s sharpness. He missed all of training camp because of neck surgery earlier this year and wasn’t cleared to be the backup until Week 4, against the Broncos.
Flacco was forced into action that day, when Darnold suffered the shoulder injury late in the first quarter. He played eight snaps and went 2-for-2 for 16 yards.
The 35-year-old Flacco started eight games for the Broncos last year, completing 65.27 percent of hiss passes for 1,822 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. This will be his first start since Oct. 27 of last year. Days later he was put on season-ending injured reserve because of the herniated disc in his neck that later required surgery.